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The increase in the number of environmental disasters in recent years has prompted a reorientation of research and programs. While significant studies have primarily focused on the physical aspects of these disasters, it is important to recognize that the vulnerability of populations is not solely dependent on the proximity of the threat source or the physical nature of the disaster. Social factors also play a crucial role in determining vulnerability. To enhance natural disaster management, it is vital to understand how social disparities influence the vulnerability of populations and develop strategies tailored to specific characteristics. This study proposes a set of 16 theoretically significant variables to measure and map vulnerability in Brazil. They were grouped into three indicators, social, economic, and infrastructure aspects of the population, obtained from the Brazilian census database. The Córrego do Feijão tailings dam, in Brumadinho, and the Casa de Pedra tailings dam, in Congonhas, were taken as case studies. The vulnerability of 48 municipalities and 3732 census sectors from the Paraopeba River Basin was explored from two different perspectives: Where the disaster has already happened, and where it could happen. The index and indicators used were developed in an open-source software and the maps in a geographic information system. The results show considerable variability. The most vulnerable municipalities are in the lower part of the basin while the high part of the basin vulnerable. This paper presents methodological and empirical contributions to understanding the social dimensions of vulnerability and their implications for the preparation, response, and recovery of affected communities in the face of environmental disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to characterise the relationship between civil society and mining in Minas Gerais, Brazil, between 2000 and 2020 by observing the actions of three different groups in resisting the expansion of mining. The analysis points to the existence of a plurality of forms of engagement, organisation and ways of establishing relations between civil society and the state and the market. It also reveals tension between different ways of framing the mining problem by civil society, of posing this problem publicly and establishing ways to confront it. Three sets of actors are identified: (i) environmental NGOs, who are market-oriented; (ii) groups with looser ties who are more radical; and (iii) social movements aligned with the identities of a state-orientated traditional left. My analysis suggests that the divergence in framing the context by these three different groups hinders the construction of a substantive public debate on the mining issue in Brazil. The article is divided into three parts. First, it briefly outlines the process of mining expansion in Brazil, starting in the mid-2000s, highlighting its economic impact. Second, it considers the relationship between civil society articulation and deliberation. Third, it characterises the constitution of these different civil society groups who have established interactions with market and state actors that fostered this expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the seasonal patterns and influencing factors of nitrogen atmospheric deposition is essential to evaluate human impacts on the air quality and nitrogen biogeochemical cycle. However, evaluation of the nitrogen deposition flux, especially in South America agricultural regions, has not been fully investigated. In this paper, we quantified the atmospheric wet deposition fluxes of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), in a region with agricultural and livestock predominance in the Southern Minas Gerais region, Brazil, from May 2018 to April 2019. Deposition fluxes of nitrogen species in the wet season (October–March) were on average 4.8-fold higher than those in the dry season, which revealed significant seasonal variations driven largely by the seasonality of rainfall and agricultural operations. We also found high NO3−/NH4+ ratios (average = 8.25), with higher values in dry season (NO3−/NH4+ = 12.8) in comparison with wet season (NO3−/NH4+ = 4.48), which revealed a higher relative contribution of NOx emissions from traffic sources in dry season. We also estimated the influence of atmospheric deposition of inorganic nitrogen (N-DIN) on environmental ecosystems, being 2.01 kgNha−1 year−1 with potential risk of acidification and eutrophication of 30%. Therefore, attention should be paid to the role of wet atmospheric deposition of nitrogen as a source of nitrogen environmental pollution in agricultural regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental impacts analysis in urban areas is a fundamental task for society's development since support environmental preservation is a key to help society from its own disorderly land use and unplanned occupied areas that lead various urban environmental problems. The main strategy in Brazil for protecting and preserving the ecosystems remains in the adoption of some protected areas such as Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA). The objective of this study is to perform a temporal assessment of environmental law violations related to PPA interventions and spatially identify hot spots areas using data visualization techniques and geographical information systtem (GIS). The analysis of spatial-temporal patterns was based on field data registered by 17th department of civil police from Minas Gerais state. The spatial data were processed in the Quantum GIS (QGIS) software, including SpatiaLite database plugin for SQL query perform, and RStudio. A total of 2.839 environmental violations were reported between 2011 and 2019. A spatial positive autocorrelation was found in data, according to Moran's Test. Our temporal analysis indicated reduction of reported violations in 2012 with respect to 2011 from the three police-regionals studied. One possible reason for this is that new revisions to Brazil's Forest Code were adopted in this period, which may have law differentiates between conservation and restoration requirements related to PPAs areas. The lowest occurrence rate was found in 3rd regional of Itajubá, which reached up to 66% in 2018. Our findings indicated higher violation occurrence very close to the regional's headquarters. This demonstrated that environmental law violations have occurred in natural resource destination areas likely due to the urban expansion process since headquarter are located in urban and populated areas, as noted by G statistic and clusters analysis. We hope that the knowledge and spatial insights developed in this paper can support civil police actions and public preservation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The largest citrus-producing region in Brazil, concentrated in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, is also the largest citrus-producing region in the world. Data from 2016 indicate that for every five glasses of orange juice consumed in the world, three are produced in Brazil. Thus, citriculture stands out in Brazilian agribusiness. Along with the growth of this agricultural sector is the emergence of diseases that affect citrus trees. In this paper, two mathematical models are presented to describe the dynamics and chemical control of citrus diseases. These models involve the theory of optimal control, considering the spatial spread of disease vectors. The first model consists of a system of ordinary differential equations with transport rates. The second model involves the Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure in control theory, considering the spread of the vectors from a partial differential equation model involving diffusion. The models are approached in a scenario for Huanglongbing disease, also called greening, which is considered to be the most devastating citrus disease in the world because of its characteristics and the damage it causes, and because there is still no cure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of surface water quality of the sub-basin of the Vargem das Flores reservoir, which is used for public water supply to the metropolitan station of Belo Horizonte (RMBH), Minas Gerais. A total of 5415 data items and eight water quality parameters, common to all monitoring stations, from the period 2002 to 2018 were assessed using multivariate and nonparametric statistical tests. The water quality parameters that were assessed included color, biological oxygen demand (BOD), total phosphorus, total manganese, dissolved oxygen (DO), total suspended solids, and turbidity showed violations of the maximum concentrations allowed in most of the tributaries to the reservoir. Despite this, the stations inside the reservoir appeared to have good quality water, particularly at Station 1, whose water is designated for human consumption. The results of a cluster analysis showed that the water quality of the sub-basin of the Vargem das Flores reservoir is in a condition of environmental degradation relative to the water quality of the water courses that feed the reservoir. The intense and disorderly development in the sub-basin and the discharge of untreated or poorly treated wastewater effluents are factors that can lead to sediment supply and cause the silting and contamination of the water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds are recognized hosts of ticks, especially for the immature stages which may harbor various species and strains of Rickettsia. To explore landscapes inhabited by birds and their ticks would expand the knowledge on host-parasite relationships and the rickettsiae. The aim of this paper was to record the diversity of ticks collected on wild birds and assess the phylogenetic position of a novel Rickettsia strain detected in immature ticks. Birds were captured in the Ibitipoca State Park, located in the Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil, as part of a long-term research project on the ecology of ticks, birds and Rickettsia. We found three tick species parasitizing birds: Amblyomma aureolatum (63 larvae, 10 nymphs), Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (28 larvae, seven nymphs) and Amblyomma romarioi (27 larvae). Among these, A. aureolatum was the most abundant species including 54% (73/135) of the collected ticks. New tick-host records were: A. romarioi on Turdus amaurochalinus and H. leporispalustris on Thamnophilus caerulescens, Saltator similis and Zonotrichia capensis. Of the 82 ticks tested for Rickettsia spp. by PCR, two larvae (2.5%) of A. romarioi were infected with 'Candidatus Rickettsia paranaensis', a novel putative Rickettsia species closely related to Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia sibirica and Rickettsia parkeri, as corroborated by our phylogenetic analysis. Finally, we present a list of all records of immature stages of H. leporispalustris on passerine birds in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contamination of karst aquifers by anthropogenic activities causes a major issue regarding environmental policies, since they present high sensitivity, influenced by unique features such as dolines, swallow holes, and conduits. This paper is focused on the Carste Lagoa Santa Protection Unit, MG, Brazil, and presents three main objectives: to determine the natural background levels of chloride, nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate; to indicate the locations where the concentrations of those parameters exceed the natural background levels in the existing vulnerability map and, finally, to determine the proportion of the areas (in percentage) where this surpassing occurs, according to the vulnerability classes (high, moderate and low). Results have shown values (90th percentile) of 2.4 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L, 5.3 mg/L, and 0.1 mg/L, for Cl−, NO3−, SO4−2, and PO4−3, respectively, indicating that for all four parameters, there were areas (mainly distributed within moderate vulnerability portions) where the values were surpassed, which suggests anthropogenic activity due to the presence of urban settlements and agricultural activities. Therefore, the proposal of natural background levels was essential to understand the hydrochemistry of the studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of climatic variables in large scales with surface meteorological stations is limited due to the low density of these stations in many regions, possible sources of errors related to missing data, and uncertainties about the calibration sensors. Global gridded data (GD) systems can minimize these problems. Thus, studies that validate GDs with "ground truth" are important for several applications such as climate change. The objective of this study was to compare long series of surface data with 10-day estimates of average air temperature (T) and precipitation (P) using data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for important agricultural locations in the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo in Brazil. Despite the different spatial resolutions between ECMWF and NASA, the purpose of this paper was to evaluate the two data sources as they are readily available. The GD performance was evaluated by linear regression analysis. Analyses were performed for each meteorological variable for entire years and separated by seasons. The estimates of T from both ECMWF and NASA systems were accurate with the minimum Willmott concordance index (d) and RMSEp of 0.86, 0.37 °C, respectively, and precision with R2 0.61. The estimates of P had a minimum R2, d, and RMSEp of 0.48, 0.79, 2.15 °C respectively. The decreasing orders of (R2) were autumn > winter > spring > summer for T and winter > autumn > spring > summer for P, varying from 0.93 to 0.61 for T and from 0.77 to 0.48 for P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traps using carbon dioxide (CO) as a chemical attractant are known to be effective when capturing nymphs and adults of some free-living tick species such as Amblyomma cajennense and Amblyomma parvum. Despite the fact that the main source of CO is dry ice, the chemical trap which uses 20 % lactic acid (CHO) and calcium carbonate (CaCO) has been tested as an alternative source of CO whenever it is difficult to obtain dry ice. The objective of this paper was to test and compare the efficiency of these two models of traps during the study of population dynamics of A. cajennense and Amblyomma dubitatum in Coronel Pacheco, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Within the period comprising May 2006 to April 2008, eight CO traps, of which four were dry ice and four chemical, were put in the pasture every 14 days at preestablished areas over a 1.0-m white cotton flannel cloth with a capture dispositive which constituted of double-sided adhesive tapes fixed onto the four corners of the flannels. On every collection day, a cotton flannel without any chemical attractant was placed in the same area of the pasture to become an instrument to control the traps' capture efficiency. After 1 h, the white flannels were collected and placed in plastic bags for later identification and counting of the ticks. A total of 2,133 nymphs of Amblyomma sp., 328 adults of A. cajennense, and 292 adults of A. dubitatum were collected. Out of this total, the dry ice traps captured 1,087 nymphs (51 %), 188 A. cajennense (58.2 %), and 151 A. dubitatum (53 %), while the chemical traps captured 1,016 nymphs (47.6 %), 133 A. cajennense (41 %), and 133 A. dubitatum (46.5 %); 30 nymphs (1.4 %), 7 A. cajennense (0.8 %), and 8 A. dubitatum (0.5 %) were found on the control flannel. The capture potentials of ticks, nymphs, and adults, by the two models of traps tested, were statistically similar ( p > 0.05). These results confirm the efficiency of the chemical trap enabling its use in areas of either difficult access or too distant from a dry ice supplier as is the case of forest areas where studies about ixodological fauna are generally carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Payment for ecosystem services" (PES) schemes have been introduced worldwide as an instrument to support the participation of multiple actors through an organizational arrangement. In Brazil, Minas Gerais State's Prosecution Office (MPMG—Ministério Público de Minas Gerais, in Portuguese) acted as a pioneer in channeling resources from Deferred Prosecution Agreements (TACs—Termo de Ajustamento de Conduta, in Portuguese) to financially enable a PES project's implementation. This is the first study to have analyzed the performance of the MPMG as a prominent actor in the institutional arrangement related to this project. The research mobilizes the notion of institutional design as proposed by Corbera, et al. (Ecol Econ 68:743–761, 2009), which establishes that, for the long-term viability of PES schemes, different institutional actors have fundamental roles to play, specially dedicated to the financial sustainability of the schemes. This research involved related documents' analysis and a state-of-the-art review of the origin and implementation of the Oásis Brumadinho project in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais. An analysis of the institutional arrangement of the Oásis Brumadinho project showed that the role of the State's Prosecution Office was crucial in making the PES feasible in terms of transaction costs. Our reflections on alternatives to finance PES projects will be useful for future cases, especially the new legal provision of the National Policy on Payment for Environmental Services at the federal level. Overall, this study furthers our understanding of the role played by the State's Prosecution Office and sheds light on the possibility of using TAC resources as an economic alternative to enable the implementation of PES frameworks in other locations in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Brazil, is rich in mineral occurrences and is considered one of the richest mineral-bearing regions in the world. Most investigations in this region have dealt with the determination of arsenic and mercury but so far few studies have been carried out aiming at determining other important elements. Having in mind the potential risk caused by mineral activities, this study was developed in order to assess the potential influence of the soil on foodstuffs. The soil samples were collected from three sites inside and outside the Iron Quadrangle. The samples were analyzed at the Laboratory for Neutron Activation Analysis, CDTN/CNEN by the k 0-instrumental neutron activation analysis. This paper reports the elemental concentration determined in soil and emphasises the elements cited in the Brazilian environmental legislation for soil. This work also confirms the high elemental concentration of several minerals, however, it is difficult to distinguish the contamination from anthropogenic activities from the natural occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the geochemistry of water and sediment samples downstream from two iron mines in the Gualaxo do Norte River basin, north of Mariana city, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Electric conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH, Eh, Na, K, Ca, Mg and trace elements (Fe, Mn, Al, Cd, Ni, Cr, Zn, As, Pb, Co, Sb, Cu, Mo, Rb, Sr, Ti, V, Y, Zr and Ba) have been analysed in water and sediments. The observed Na anomalies are mainly associated with the iron mine processing plants. Enriched concentrations of iron and manganese were only observed in rudimentary gold exploitation areas (prospectors) and where supergenic alteration of the banded iron formation has occurred. Iron and manganese background values are in some places higher than the limits established by Brazilian legislation. Mn, As, Sb and Ba anomalies have been observed in sediments. Their main source is associated with the sulphide-rich mineral deposits in the spring of the Gualaxo do Norte River and not directly related to the present iron exploitation in the region. Background values are proposed for the studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar radiation prediction is necessary for designing photovoltaic systems, assessment of regional climate and crop growth modeling. However, this estimate depends on expensive devices, namely pyranometer and pyranometer. Considering the difficulty of acquiring these devices, predicting such values through mathematical and computational models is a convenient approach where costs can be reduced. In particular, machine learning methods have been successfully and widely applied for this task. However, the choice of the correct machine learning model, its parameters sets, and the variables used influence obtained results. This work presents a methodology that optimizes the aforementioned points to efficiently predict solar radiation in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Currently, no work presents a computational model for the entire state. For this, data from 51 cities in Minas Gerais are used, obtained by the automatic weather stations of the National Institute of Meteorology. Two machine learning models, Artificial Neural Network and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline, were optimized through a Simple Genetic Algorithm, and the results compared to those available in the literature. The best results were found at the Guanhães station, with R 2 of 0.867 and RMSE of 1.68 MJ m - 2 day - 1 , and at the Muriaé station, with R 2 of 0.864 and RMSE of 1.64 MJ m - 2 day - 1 . The models had their metrics compared to each other through the methodology of performance profiles, where the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline model proved to be more efficient. The results demonstrate that computational models perform better than the empirical models currently used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands are ecosystems formed mostly by organic matter and water and constitute a particular type of free aquifer. They perform important hydrological functions by storing excess water during rainfall events, contributing to the baseflow of its rivers throughout the year. Its degradation affects the water table dynamics and influences the decomposition of organic matter content and the release of carbon into its waters. The water retention capacity may also be compromised and thus reduce the volume of water available downstream, especially in the dry season. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of anthropic interference on variations in groundwater level, water storage, and carbon flow in two tropical mountain peatlands, located at the head of the Araçuaí River, in Serra do Espinhaço Meridional, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Level meters were installed in groundwater wells distributed on peatland zones located in a protected area (Natural Park) (Protected—TP) and outside the conservation unit (Anthropized—TA). Data were analyzed considering the daily rainfall recorded by an automatic weather station installed in the study area. From the data on precipitation and water table level variation, the specific yield (Sy) in the two peatlands was calculated. The observed flows and the mean monthly Sy on each groundwater well were correlated and their significance was verified using the t-test (p < 0.05). The relationship between the observed flow and the mean monthly values of Sy obtained for the groundwater wells was verified through multiple regression. The Sy correlated significantly with the flow in both peatlands (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression showed a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.92 in both peatlands, indicating a direct relationship between Sy and observed flow. The TP presented a 43% smaller variation in the water table, a 7% higher Sy, and a specific flow rate of 13% higher related to the TA. The peatland located in the protected area retains more water, with less variation in flow throughout the year, and releases less carbon in the water compared to the anthropized peatland. The results demonstrate that anthropization is causing peatland degradation, reducing its water-holding capacity and accelerating its carbon losses. In the medium term, these effects may lead to a drastic reduction in flow in the upper course of the Araçuaí River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In southeast Brazil, heavy precipitation events during the summer trigger floods. These disasters are responsible for most loss of lives. In November and December 2021, the northern area of Minas Gerais and the southern part of Bahia were affected by periods of very heavy rain and intense floods. Heavy precipitation contributed to unusually high soil saturation that favored floods that claimed lives. Estimated losses totaled about $3.1 billion U.S. dollars from November to December 2021. Therefore, this study: 1. evaluates the meteorological conditions in November–December 2021, in particular from December 22 to 29, when it rained up to 300 mm above average in this region, 2. analyzes the floods, exacerbated by extreme rainfall events earlier in November and December, and 3. discusses monitoring and issuing risk alerts of these disasters by government agencies that helped minimize damage and property loss and reduce fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate height-diameter, volumetric, and taper models to estimate tree height and volume to describe the bole profiles of a eucalypts clone established in three agrosilvopastoral spatial arrangements (18 × 2.5; 5 × 2 + 40; 3 (3 × 2) + 30) in Coronel Xavier Chaves, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The diameter at breast height, total height, and diameter outside bark along the stems of the sample trees were collected. Height-diameter, volume, and taper models were fit to the observed data for each spatial arrangement and were compared to select the best alternative. The mean annual increment for single, double, and triple lines at 48, 60, and 72 months of age, respectively, ranged from 26.0 to 34.6 m3 ha−1 year−1, as well as individual volume ranged from 0.41 to 0.53 m3 tree−1. The height-diameter curves showed a distinct tendency for each spatial arrangement and can be represented by different equations. The equations to estimate volume and taper fit well to the data, and the Spurr and Garay models were selected as the best fitting, respectively. In addition, Graybill's F-test (Theory and application of the linear model. Duxbury Press, Massachussetts, 1976) showed that a single equation could fit the Spurr and Garay models for all spatial arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, more than 90% of steel mills are located in states that have Atlantic Forest which, together with the pollution of large urban centers, represent risk factors for the environmental quality of this important biome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of urban and industrial air pollution in a city in Minas Gerais that has a steel mill on the symptomatology, on the leaf chemistry, and on the anatomy and micromorphology of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) of Joannesia princeps Vell. (Euphorbiaceae), a native species of the Atlantic Forest. For 126 days, seedlings of J. princeps were exposed on stand systems in the urban and industrial area of MG (Ipatinga city), in the following places: Bom Retiro, Cariru, Cidade Nobre, and Veneza. For anatomical analysis, EFNs were collected and processed for microscopic analysis. In the southern parts of the steel mill closest to the Rio Doce State Park (RDSP) (Bom Retiro and Cariru), there was a predominance of NO, NOX, SO2 (Bom Retiro), naphthalene, benzene, and total suspended particulates (Cariru). In locations north of the steel mill (Cidade Nobre and Veneza), there was a predominance of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the urban environment, intense anatomical and micromorphological damage to EFNs, leaf damage, leaf metal accumulation, and alterations in the histochemical tests of the plants were observed. The interior of the RDSP presented environmental quality, but the contribution of pollutants near the border between the RDSP and the city of Ipatinga is worrying, requiring constant monitoring of this area to verify the impact and threat that pollution can cause on these Atlantic Forest remnants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoextraction of rare earth elements (REE) from contaminated soils has gained importance during the last few decades. The Poços de Caldas municipality in Brazil is known for its mineral richness, including large reserves of REE. In this study, we report light REE (La, Ce, Sm, Pr, and Nd) in soils and plants collected in an area. Composite soil samples and plant individuals were collected, and total concentrations of LREE in soils were determined by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF). The plant available LREE concentrations in soils were estimated upon the acetic acid method (F1 fractions) of the stepwise sequential extraction procedure, together with plant content that was analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The total sum concentrations of tested LREE in soils varied from 5.6 up to 37.9 g kg−1, the bioavailable fraction was ca. 1%, and a linear relationship was found between them. The only exception was Sm, whose availability was lesser and did not show a linear relationship. The concentration of LREE in non-accumulator plants varied from 1.3–950 mg kg−1 for Ce, La 1.1–99 mg kg−1, Sm 0.04–9.31 mg kg−1, Pr 0.1–24.1 mg kg−1, and Nd 0.55–81 mg kg−1. The concentration of LREE among shoots did not show a linear relation either with the available fraction or total content. The screening also revealed Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy, Thelypteridaceae family, as a promising hyperaccumulator species. The concentrations of LREE among shoots of six individuals of this species were in the ranges from 115 to 1872 mg kg−1 for Ce, La 190–703 mg kg−1, Sm 9–48 mg kg−1, Pr 32–144 mg kg−1, and Nd 105–478 mg kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands are among the most important ecosystems in the world in terms of endemic biodiversity, carbon storage and hydrological process. Veredas wetlands are distributed across the Brazilian savanna (i.e. Cerrado biome) and are permanently protected areas. Veredas wetlands have a hydromorphic soil, providing water to the main rivers of central Brazil and allowing the occurrence of several endemic species of plants and animals. Although recent studies on biotic and abiotic characteristics have been conducted in several areas of Veredas, the studies are local and there is a lack of information about large-scale patterns. Here we used remote sensing data to explore the role of climate, soil, topography and surrounding matrix explaining Veredas occurrence in the Triângulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba (TMAP), a mesoregion of the State of Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil. Veredas were more frequent in the western region of TMAP, in areas with lower altitudes, temperature and precipitation seasonality, soil cation exchange capacity, silt and sand content, and slope. Moreover, farming was the most frequent land use in areas surrounding Veredas. Veredas are associated with recharging of the water table and water flow that maintains rivers in the Upper Paraná River water basin. We trust the present assessment will be of help for the development of conservation strategies and biodiversity studies. Research questions, data processing, statistical analysis and illustration of the outputs generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lychee fruit production (Litchi chinensis) has been threatened in many regions of the world where the presence has been reported of the litchii erinose mite, Aceria litchii (Keifer). This study aims to identify the arthropod community associated with A. litchii on lychee plants in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to seek for potential natural enemies associated with this mite pest in this region. We sampled lychee leaves infested with A. litchii in commercial and non-commercial lychee orchards during seven consecutive months, covering the dry and wet seasons of the year. Arthropods found in association with A. litchii on lychee leaves were collected and identified. The results indicate that a great diversity and abundance of mites and hexapods are associated with A. litchii. A total of 985 and 1872 specimens of mites were identified in commercial and non-commercial areas, respectively, belonging to the families Cheyletidae, Cunaxidae, Eupodidae, Iolinidae, Stigmaeidae, Phytoseiidae, Tarsonemidae, Tenuipalpidae, Tetranychidae, Tryophtydeidae, Tuckerellidae, Tydeidae, Winterschmidtiidae and Xenocaligonellidae and the suborder Oribatida. Among them, Phytoseiidae was the most abundant and diverse family with a total of 11 species identified, in which Phytoseius intermedius was the most abundant predatory mite species collected. Minor specimens of hexapods were also been, belonging to the orders Collembola, Blattodea, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Psocoptera and Thysanoptera. The presence of a high community of predatory mites in association with A. litchii deserves attention and our results indicate that studies to test the potential of these species and the adoption of management practices that enhance this ecological service must be carried out to achieve satisfactory control of the lychee erinose mite in lychee plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far unknown anisotropic properties of out-of-phase magnetic susceptibility (opMS) of hematite and their bearing on understanding the origin of hematite magnetism were investigated on example of four single crystals from Minas Gerais, Brazil. The research comprised measurement of directional variation of field-dependent and frequency-dependent opMS and testing whether the anisotropy of opMS can be represented by the second rank tensor. It was found that the opMS shows strong field dependence along basal plane and only weak field dependence along c-axis. As for the frequency dependence, it is virtually non-existent along the basal plane. Along the c-axis, the opMS is similar at frequencies 976 and 3904 Hz, while at 15616 Hz it is clearly higher. Consequently, opMS is dominantly due to weak field hysteresis. The minimum opMS directions are parallel to the c-axis, while the other two principal directions lie within basal plane. The degree of anisotropy is extremely high (ratio of maximum opMS to minimum opMS ≫100) and the anisotropy ellipsoid is very oblate. In stereographic diagrams, the opMS contours very roughly resemble the theoretical contours calculated from opMS tensor. However, the differences between measured and theoretical values in directional opMS are clearly higher than the measuring error and are distributed very non-homogeneously. This indicates that the second rank tensor is only very approximate representative of the spatial variation of the directional opMS of hematite single crystals. Earlier model of hematite magnetism assuming slightly scanted antiferromagnetism along the c-axis and strongly canted antiferromagnetism or even weak ferromagnetism along the basal plane is supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates both the occurrence and removal of 24 compounds, including drugs and endocrine disruptors, in 8 water treatment plants (WTP) located in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais State, Brazil). The compounds 4-nonylphenol, 4-octylphenol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, 17β-estradiol, acyclovir, bisphenol A, bezafibrate, caffeine, dexamethasone, diclofenac sodium, diltiazem, estrone, estriol, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, linezolid, loratadine, losartan, metformin, naproxen, paracetamol, promethazine, propranolol and sulfamethoxazole were monitored at 3 sampling points (raw water, filtered water, treated water) over 10 or 12 collection campaigns for each WTP. The results showed that bisphenol A occurred at higher concentrations during the dry period with a maximum concentration of 3257.1 ng L−1, while the compounds 4-nonylphenol and losartan exhibited higher concentrations in the rainy period with maximum concentrations of 8577.2 ng L−1 and 705.8 ng L−1, respectively. Regarding the removal of compounds in the monitored WTPs, the clarification step demonstrated better removals for 4-nonylphenol, bisphenol-A, paracetamol, and sulfamethoxazole, whereas the disinfection step mainly removed the compounds 4-octylphenol and estrone. Margin of exposure (ME) assessment results indicated that only dexamethasone, ethinyl estradiol, diclofenac, estradiol, and estrone were classified as imminent risk or alert considering the 95th percentile concentration found in the samples of treated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a selection strategy to be applied to a large number of coffee accessions, which can be useful when exploring many genotypes in breeding programs for beverage quality. Over three consecutive years, 270 Arabica coffee accessions from the germplasm collection of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were sensorially characterized. At the end of this period, the 20 genotypes with the greatest potential for specialty coffee production were selected, which were subjected to a second sensory characterization. Additionally, we determined the genetic correlations between the attributes that make up the final beverage score. We did not identify an attribute that was more important than the others in the organoleptic performance of the studied accessions. Through the proposed method, we identified genetic variation in our original population and selected five accessions with beverage quality considered excellent according to the SCA classification. These accessions were planted in field conditions of highly specialized farms to study their interaction with the cultivation environment and to promote the increase in production of such coffees. Additionally, the five selected accessions are being used in crosses with elite cultivars in order to create new segregation. We conclude that estimation of the heritability of each accession, the use over the years of common check cultivars with known performance, and extreme careful of experimental precision in the entire processes allow adequate comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hepatozoonosis and piroplasmosis are diseases caused by apicomplexan protozoa that affect different types of animals, including mammals. The present study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of Hepatozoon spp. and piroplasms in wild mammals kept in captivity in rehabilitation centers in the states of Minas Gerais and Goiás, Brazil. Methods: For this, blood samples from 152 animals were collected and analyzed by conventional optical microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, positive PCR samples were submitted to sequencing for molecular characterization of the specimens found. Results: Microscopic analysis revealed 53 of the 152 animals (28.3%) parasitized by piroplasms. No Hepatozoon sp. was observed. On the other hand, using the primers HepF300/HepR900 and Piro1F/Piro5R, both amplifying fragments of the 18S rDNA gene, eight animals (5.2%) were positive for Hepatozoon spp. and 40 (26.3%) for piroplasms. From the sequencing of the positive samples Hepatozoon canis, Hepatozoon felis, Theileria cervi, Theileria equi and Cytauxzoon felis were identified. In addition to the aforementioned hemoparasites, some animals were found parasitized by microfilaria. Such data ratify the presence of hemoparasites in captive wild animals, and are unprecedented in the two geographical regions covered by the present study. 19.7% of mammals harbored ectoparasites of the genera Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus. Conclusion: Wild mammals are infected by several pathogens that can also infect domestic animals, some of them potentially zoonotic which can directly contribute to mortality and species reduction. Therefore, a deep understanding of the parasites, the hosts and the diseases is extremely necessary so that prevention, control and treatment measures are effectively applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction of plantation productivity from environmental data is challenged by the complex relationships defining the growth and yield processes. Artificial neural network (ANN) can be used to model complex nonlinear interrelations but are challenged by the choice of the training algorithm and the structure and size of the network. The objective of the present study is to find an efficient ANN to estimate the eucalyptus productivity from biotic, abiotic and silvicultural data. We defined the efficiency of an ANN as the processing time to supply an accurate solution. We increase the efficiency of the network in two steps: one outside the ANN, through principal component analysis (PCA), and one inside the ANN, through dedicated pruning methods. To test different network configurations, we used data from 507 Eucalyptus plantations, 3 to 7 years old, located in Minas Gerais, Brazil. An ANN configuration is a combination of the number of neurons in the hidden layers, training algorithm and pruning method. Each ANN was trained five times to assess the impact of the initial weights on the results, which led to a factorial experiment with 9000 combinations. The most accurate result was supplied in 38.81 s by an ANN using the data trimmed with PCA, trained with the Scaled Conjugate Gradient algorithm with four neurons and Magnitude-Based Pruning method. However, an accuracy loss of less than 1% (i.e., the second most accurate result) was obtained in 1.7 s using the same ANN configuration, but no pruning. Our results indicate that an efficient prediction of Eucalyptus productivity does not use all the data or the most complex training algorithms. The proposed efficient ANN supplies the most precise results compared with the existing models. Furthermore, the efficient ANN produces more accurate results from environmental variables than some models that contain dimensional variables. Our study suggests that modeling the yield of Eucalyptus plantations should be executed using a large set of environmental variables, as no clear edaphic or climatic variables supplied accurate results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the ongoing transformation of the livestock raising component of a complex agrosilvopastoral management system associated with the Geraizeiro of northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Increasing droughts and regional climate change, associated with large-scale corporate enclosures of upland rangelands and conversion to eucalyptus plantations for industrial charcoal production have undermined solta, a customary form of extensive cattle raising and centerpiece of Geraizeiro lifeways. In response, farmers are adapting and transforming another, more intense form of livestock raising associated with managed agroforestry in lower-lying areas, manga. Using a social-ecological systems approach and drawing on extensive interviews and ecological inventories, we consider such changes within the overall integrity of the system, suggesting the need to reconsider the role of the Geraizeiros and their use of cattle and fire as a potentially useful tool in reconciling livelihoods and conservation, particularly amidst accelerating social and environmental change and the concomitant threats to the savanna biocultural biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indicators are important tools to improve the efficiency of water supply systems. Considering that the performance could vary according to the systems' sizes, this research proposed financial, operational, and water quality indicators for water supply systems of municipalities with different populations in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The organisation and selection of the sample were based on available information in the National Sanitation Data System of 2014. We selected 363 municipalities of Minas Gerais and 56 predictors. Through multiple linear regression (MLR), we found that the commitment of revenues with expenditures and the ratio among revenues and expenses are the most relevant variables to describe the financial performance. Furthermore, water loss per connection and water-billing index were the most important to describe the operational performance. Finally, models related to water quality performance could not be established due to the low value of the coefficient of determination. We observed that supply systems have distinct variables to describe their financial and operational performance, according to their sizes. Small municipalities have a strong relationship with financial performance and expenses. Large counterparts have their performance related to the collection, which can be explained by the economy of scale. Considering the operational performance, we observed that larger municipalities have a strong relationship between their operational performance and water loss. These models are potential tools in the decision-making processes, which can be used to promote improvements in water supply systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damage caused by frost on coffee plants can impact significantly in the reduction of crop quality and productivity. Remote sensing can be used to evaluate the damage caused by frost, providing precise and timely agricultural information to producers, assisting in decision making, and consequently minimizing production losses. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the potential use of multispectral images obtained by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to analyze and identify damage caused by frost in coffee plants in different climatic favorability zones. Visual evaluations of frost damage and chlorophyll content quantification were carried out in a commercial coffee plantation in Southern Minas Gerais, Brazil. The images were obtained from a multispectral camera coupled to a UAV with rotating wings. The results obtained demonstrated that the vegetation indices had a strong relationship and high accuracy with the frost damage. Among the indices studied the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was the one that had better performances (r = − 0.89, R2 = 0.79, MAE = 10.87 e RMSE = 14.35). In a simple way, this study demonstrated that multispectral images, obtained from UAV, can provide a fast, continuous, and accessible method to identify and evaluate frost damage in coffee plants. This information is essential for the coffee producer for decision-making and adequate crop management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of alveolar corticotomy (AC) and piezocision (PZ) in accelerating maxillary canine retraction, and their effects on multiple bone remodeling expression in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). A split-mouth, randomized controlled clinical trial was performed at the Department of Orthodontics of Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Eligibility criteria included orthodontic need for first maxillary premolars extractions, followed by canine retraction. Fifty-one adult patients were recruited and randomly assigned to 3 groups (allocation ratio 1:1:1). Random allocation of surgical or control interventions to each side of the maxillary arch was also conducted: G1 − AC × Control, G2 − PZ × Control, and G3 − AC × PZ. Both the definition of the group and the decision of the experimental or control sides were randomized by the software. Intraoral digital scans were performed before, 7 and 14 days after the beginning of canine retraction, and subsequently, at every 14 days until a maximum period of 6 months. GCF samples were collected before, and 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The primary outcome consisted in the cumulative distal movement of the canines and was measured by digital model superimposition. The secondary outcome consisted in GCF bone remodeling samples that were quantified in a multiplex immunoassay. The measurements examinator was properly blinded. Results: Forty-seven patients, 19 males and 28 females, were analyzed (mean age 20.72, SD = 6.66, range 15 to 38). Statistically significant differences in canine distal movement between AC and control in G1 were not observed (p > 0.05). In G2, PZ showed lower cumulative incisal and cervical measurements than control from the 2nd to the 24th week (p < 0.05). In G3, PZ showed a lower cumulative incisal and cervical measurements than AC from the16th to the 24th week (p < 0.05). In all groups, differences on biomarkers expression occurred at specific timepoints (p < 0.05), but a distinct pattern was not observed. Conclusions: AC and PZ were not effective to accelerate maxillary canine retraction and did not induce a distinct pattern of biomarker expression. Trial registration: NCT03089996. Registered 24 March 2017 - Registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of yield gaps provides a basis for identifying the main sources of production losses, caused by water or management deficiencies, which may help foresters and forest companies to better plan and make decisions in their areas. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the magnitude and the major causes of yield gaps of eucalypts, being this the most planted forest genus in Brazil, in different producing regions of the state of Minas Gerais that has the largest planted area. To these ends, potential (Yp) and attainable (Ya) yields were simulated using the agroecological zone model (AEZ-FAO) adapted and calibrated for Brazilian eucalypt clones. Actual yield (Yr) data were obtained from 22 sites located in the state of Minas Gerais from 2009 to 2016, considering an average forest rotation of 6.7 years and plantings occurring between 2002 and 2010. From this, the total yield gap (YGtot), yield gap by water deficit (YGwd), and yield gap by sub-optimal management (YGman) were determined. The YGwd ranged from 37 to 69 m3 ha−1 year−1 across the 22 sites assessed, with an average value of 55 m3 ha−1 year−1. On the other hand, the YGman ranged from zero (optimal management) to 31 m3 ha−1 year−1. The eucalypt yield gap in commercial areas of Minas Gerais state was mainly caused by water deficit, which represented 77% of the total yield gap. On the other hand, the deficiencies in forest management accounted for 23% of the total yield gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Evidence on patient medication knowledge and associated factors within primary care patients is limited, especially in developing countries. Objective To estimate the prevalence and investigate the role of individual and contextual factors on insufficient medication knowledge among primary care patients. Setting Public community pharmacies in a health pole city (234,937 inhab.) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Methods Exit-survey conducted with a representative sample of 1221 patients (≥ 18 years) interviewed after dispensing. Data collected for medicines included its name, therapeutic indication, dosage, time of administration, treatment duration, side effects and warnings. Information were compared to the prescription and official guidelines. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were applied. Main outcome measure Insufficient patient medication knowledge. Results Prevalence of insufficient medication knowledge was 30.1%. Side effects (96.3%) and warnings (71.1%) had the highest percentage of misses. Musculoskeletal system drugs presented the lowest knowledge score (mean = 5.9; SD = 1.9). Significant determinants of insufficient medication knowledge with respective odds ratio (OR) were: level of education (≤ 3 years, OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.06–2.11 and 4–7 years, OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.02–1.84), number of comorbidities (≤ 2, OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.04–1.77), use of prescription drugs in the last 15 days (no, OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.31–3.76) and number of people able to lend money (no person, OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.04–1.74). Conclusion Counselling and monitoring practices should be tailored to patients with less schooling, that are initiating treatment and with low disease burden. Equally important is the need to implement strategies to increase the patient's level of social capital to improve treatment knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the application of gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to evaluate the occurrence of 12 CECs—contaminants of emerging concern (bisphenol A, diclofenac, 17β-estradiol, estriol, estrone, 17α-ethinylestradiol, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, naproxen, 4-nonylphenol, 4-octylphenol, and acetaminophen) in surface waters from Paraopeba River Basin, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The analytical procedure was validated and applied to 60 surface water samples collected across four sampling campaigns along the upper and middle watershed. Methods for CECs determination involved sample filtration, and solid-phase extraction (SPE) with subsequent derivatization of the target compounds prior to their analysis by GC-MS. The LOQ varied from 3.6 to 14.4 ng/L and extraction recoveries ranged from 46.1 to 107.1% for the lowest spiked concentration level (10 ng/L). The results showed a profile of spatial distribution of compounds, as well as the influence of rainfall. Ibuprofen (1683.9 ng/L), bisphenol (1587.7 ng/L), and naproxen (938.4 ng/L) occurred in higher concentrations during the rainy season, whereas during the dry season, the concentrations of bisphenol (1057.7 ng/L), estriol (991.0 ng/L), and estrone (978.4 ng/L) were highlighted. The risk assessment of human exposure shows that for most contaminants, the concentration is well below the estimated thresholds for chronic toxicity from water intake. However, estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol showed concentrations in the same order of magnitude as the guide values estimated for babies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The city of Ouro Preto, which is located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, has a long history of mass movements influenced by the regional geology, geomorphology, and anthropic activities, which have resulted in harmful consequences to the population. However, most of the studies conducted in the region are qualitative and are directly dependent on the experience specialists. The aim of this study was to analyse the landslide susceptibility in the urban region of Ouro Preto quantitatively by using discriminant analysis. The landslide inventory was obtained by using unmanned aerial vehicle images and fieldwork. ArcGIS 10.6 and R 3.5.1 software were used, and the following landslide predisposing factors were considered: slope angle, slope aspect, profile curvature, and topographic wetness index (TWI). As geological and geotechnical data are still scarce in the interior of Brazil, we only used data derived from topography to determine the effectiveness of these factors for analysing landslide susceptibility. The slope angle proved to be the factor that most differentiated unstable from stable terrain, followed by TWI. The other parameters were not as effective in differentiating the stability conditions. The model efficiency was 88.6%, the specificity was 93.3%, and the sensitivity was 85.0%. Also, the prediction and success curve were used to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed landslides model, by using the area under the curve (AUC) criteria. It was shown that the AUC values 0.851 for testing and 0.838 for training indicate that the developed model provides an excellent prediction. The main contribution of this work is the demonstration of the effectiveness of using easily accessible data (derived from topography) for analysing landslide susceptibility with a multivariate statistical method. This method can contribute valuable information to urban planning efforts in cities without the need for robust data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued contamination of water sources by pesticides is a problem that involves the life of aquatic organisms and human health, especially in countries whose economy is based on agriculture. The need to know the quality of drinking water under these circumstances is a priority for the public health of any community. Passive sampling methods allow the determination of long-term environmental pollutants through a single sample collection, reducing time and cost of analyses. One advantage of passive sampling is that it is possible to calculate a time-weighted average (TWA) concentration value or an equilibrium concentration value, depending on the type of device used and the exposure time. Passive sampling techniques using carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have a high potential for pesticide sampling in aquatic systems. A device for passive sampling manufactured with CNMs in a microextraction system and recyclable materials was calibrated in laboratory exposure conditions over 15 days. The calibration results showed linear accumulation periods between 5 and 10 days. Sampling rates were between 0.014 and 0.146 mL day−1. The sampler was field-tested in the San Francisco river basin in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil for 7 days. This research allowed for the detection and calculation of TWA concentrations for organochlorine pesticides such as α-HCH, 4,4-DDE, and 4,4-DD in water sources. The manufactured device demonstrated greater sensitivity than the grab sampling processes for the detection of pesticides. The performed passive sampling system using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technique allowed for the collection, detection, identification, and quantification of 26 pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this long-term study we evaluated the diversity and seasonality of predatory insects (Diptera: Syrphidae and Asilidae) in Brachiaria decumbens monoculture and silvopastoral systems in Southeast Brazil. The study was conducted in Coronel Pacheco municipality, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, between February 2010 and January 2015. Insects were collected with malaise traps installed in both monoculture and silvopastoral systems. Specimen abundance, family diversity, seasonality assessed by circular analysis, the degrees of association between specimen number and climatic variables measured by Spearman's correlation, and the constancy and similarities of Syrphidae and Asilidae were analyzed in the monoculture and silvopastoral systems. Eleven species of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) were collected, five and three of which were exclusive to the silvopasture and monoculture, respectively. The number of specimens within the monoculture was significantly greater than that in the silvopasture. Twenty-four species of robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) were collected, two of which were exclusive to the monoculture and eight to the silvopasture. The abundance of robber flies in the silvopasture was not significantly different from that in the monoculture. Syrphidae diversity was greater in the monoculture and was not significantly different from robber fly family diversity. Circular analysis revealed seasonality, with the distribution grouped during dry periods for hoverflies and dispersed for robber flies. Most hoverflies and robber flies were accidental in each of the systems. Further studies on the capacity of these predator species to act as biological control agents of pasture pests are required. This study presents important and promising results for understanding the dynamics of the Syrphidae and Asilidae community in monoculture and silvopastoral systems in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to conduct Action Research (AR) to create and implement a WEEE management program that was in line with the BNPSW regulations. The city chosen for this study was São João del Rei (SJDR) located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Using AR it was possible to structure a WEEE management program that involved stakeholders from the city administration, the Federal University of São João del Rei, and representatives from the private sector. The program ultimately collected 1710 kg of WEEE that received an environmentally appropriate destination. Although no major difficulties were observed with respect to the AR process itself, some challenges were encountered. Lack of infrastructure and hesitance on behalf of the public with respect to implementing WEEE Reverse Logistics were complicating factors. The action research as methodology proved to be highly efficient in dealing with e-waste reverse logistics. It resulted in faster decision making, in turn generating better results. Good decisions were repeated and errors were corrected. The Action Research project highlighted the need for raising public awareness about WEEE disposal. It also showed that the public was ultimately interested in participating and contributing to the proposed WEEE management program. The awareness of the population has led to a significant increase in the amount of collected waste. The model resulting from this research serve as a reference for decision makers in implementing similar programs around the world and to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On November 5, 2015, roughly 32 million m3 of iron mine tailings were accidentally released in the collapse of Fundão dam in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Totaling about 61% of the impoundment's contents, the spilled tailings buried the town of Bento Rodrigues, claiming the lives of 19 villagers, and causing major environmental concerns. This study presents a comprehensive static liquefaction triggering analysis performed on the failing section of the dam prior to its collapse, with the goal to determine its susceptibility to liquefaction under its ultimate loading condition. The method of analysis implemented accounts for variations in mode of shear, anisotropic consolidation, and lateral load transfer along the failure surface normally encountered in the field. The instability line and flow liquefaction concepts are used in conjunction with in-situ test data to estimate liquefaction triggering and post-liquefaction undrained shear strengths for loose saturated tailings in the dam's section. These are subsequently applied in iterative limit equilibrium analyses to obtain the factors of safety for liquefaction triggering and flow failure. After convergence in this process, the failing dam's section was found to be susceptible to static liquefaction flow failure with a factor of safety of 0.56. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geomechanical classifications of rock masses are of great interest and importance for the design of civil and mining works, as slopes, open pits, and underground excavations stability are directly related to the mechanical properties of the rock mass classes. Some of the most common geomechanical rock mass classifications currently used are the RMR (Rock Mass Rating), the Q system, and the GSI (Geological Strength Index). Recently (2011), it was presented a new approach for RMR in which the author had pointed an erroneous understanding by some of the RMR users related to the weights adopted for some parameters. Due to the great difficulty found by some professionals to classify highly weathered rock masses by using RMR89, various authors have proposed a correction of for RMR89 values by considering an adjustment index. On this context, the present work has the aim of verifying, for several rock masses from Quadrilátero Ferrífero, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the effectiveness of these three proposed adjustments on RMR89. The results has shown that the corrections proposed better represent the weathered rock masses usually found on open pit on Quadrilátero Ferrífero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Natural radionuclides 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb and 210Po activity concentrations and the inorganic chemical composition were determined in radioactive mineral water springs from the Water Parks of Águas de Contendas and Lambari, located in the Water Circuit of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Radionuclides were determined by gross alpha and beta measurements and alpha spectrometry, and the chemical elements by ICP-OES. Among the radionuclides analyzed, the highest activity concentrations obtained were for 226Ra and 228Ra and the chemical elements Ca, Fe and Na presented higher values of concentrations. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis was performed to verify the correlation between natural radionuclides and the chemical elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irreversible losses of natural areas and damage to ecosystem services are caused by large-scale mining. These effects are prominent in Minas Gerais, which is home to a mining industry with hundreds of tailings dams concentrated in global hotspots: the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest. We present an overview of the spatial overlap between protected areas (PAs), priority conservation areas (PCAs), tailings dams, and their influence areas. A total of 218 dams accumulated environmental costs and liability that are represented by 2.24 thousand million m3 of tailings and industrial waste. Most dams (≈ 70%) are located in PCAs, 45 dams in conservation units, 58 in their respective buffer zones, and 51 in special protection areas. We have identified an urgent need to implement adequate public policies to establish management and monitoring mechanisms in PAs and PCAs and to address a scenario of high potential for socioenvironmental damage associated with tailings dams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion affects agricultural production by reducing the area of rural properties and altering the dynamics of watersheds. Gullies are a complex and irregular type of erosion form that can reach large dimensions, and studying gullies to stabilize erosion processes is a challenge. This study aims to understand their environmental relationships as a basis for future research and to recover land degraded by soil erosion. We combined mapping techniques using geographic information system (GIS) with temporal evolution of land use and fractal dimensions of gullies using FracLac to determine the stability of gullies in a watershed in south Minas Gerais (Brazil). We used R software to apply linear regressions and tested the statistics to verify the compatibility of the model. Environmental characteristics of the watershed contribute to the formation of gullies, but human activities influence the deflagration of these features. The temporal evolution of the land use demonstrated that nearly 50% of the watershed was used as pastures throughout the years, which contributed to soil degradation. The evolution of the fractal dimension showed fluctuations over the years, indicating that the gullies are not stable. The regressions suggest that the vegetation, geology, land use, channel order, and curvature may influence the fractal dimensions of gullies. We concluded that human activity influences the evolution of gullies; the use of techniques such as vegetation measures can contribute to the stabilization of gullies. We also concluded that fractal analysis is an interesting tool for performing environmental evaluations of irregular and complex features, such as gullies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae), commonly known as the southern red mite, or as the coffee red spider mite in Brazil, is one of the main species of herbivorous mites that causes serious damage to coffee plants (Coffea spp.) and thus negatively affects coffee production. Among the biocontrol agents, predatory mites of the family Phytoseiidae play an important role in many biological control programs worldwide due to their potential as suppressor of mite populations mainly from the family Tetranychidae. One of the phytoseiid mites usually associated with O. ilicis is Euseius concordis (Chant), which often occurs abundantly in the coffee crops of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. This study was conducted to assess the predation potential of E. concordis feeding on the larvae and nymph stages of O. ilicis on coffee plants (Coffea arabica L.). Logistic regression analysis revealed a Holling type II functional response, showing that the number of O. ilicis killed by E. concordis increased gradually as the density of O. ilicis increased. Average daily oviposition also increased with prey densities above 6.3 mites/cm2, indicating that maximum oviposition rate is about 1 egg/day. Results of this study suggest that E. concordis has the potential to reduce O. ilicis populations, and this predatory mite can therefore be considered an important natural enemy of the pest O. ilicis in coffee plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dams are structures that barrier rivers and streams for a variety of purposes. The constant maintenance of these structures is essential, since a possible accident can lead to damage of catastrophic proportions. In November 2015 in the city of Mariana, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil, a tailings dam burst and spilled 56 million cubic meters of tailings. In addition to victimize 19 people, the event caused material, economic and environmental damage—it is considered the largest environmental disaster of Brazil. This research presents a cheap and quickly applied alternative for investigation of seepage of water in earth dams, built with distinct embankment materials—one dam composed of predominantly silt and clay soil and the other predominantly composed of sandy soil. The research methods used were: geotechnical tests as gradation test, permeability test with the Guelph permeameter method and the application of the (DC) resistivity geophysical method from the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) technique in Wenner array. Three ERT lines were positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis at each dam. The data are presented in 2D and 3D geophysical images with electrical resistivity values modeled. Based on the physical principle of electrolytic conduction, i.e., decrease in electrical resistance in materials or siliceous minerals in moisture conditions compared to the material in the dry state, the results revealed low-resistivity zones restricted to some points, associated with water infiltration in the transverse direction. The results indicate saturation restricted to some points and low permeability, at the present time, an installation of piping processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineralogical and whole rock geochemical analyses for 60 elements on 31 samples of hard ferruginous crust (canga) provide insights into the evolution of the lateritic profile developed on itabirite. Canga can form in two environments: in situ canga that typically caps itabirite and transported canga that covers country rock. Both have similar mineralogical and chemical compositions. Detrital haematite and rare quartz inherited from the itabirite and iron ore comprise the matrix of canga, cemented by goethite, minor gibbsite, and rare manganese oxides and secondary phosphates. Fe2O3 represents more than 91% of its chemical composition and the concentrations of trace elements are low, generally less than 50 ppm. A comparison of the chemical weathering of dolomitic itabirite against the quartz itabirite shows that, although weathering processes are less effective in the former, the geochemical trends of major and trace elements are similar. Negative Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce* = 0.8) and U/Th ratios lower than 1.5 suggest that saprolite formation occurred under slightly anoxic and mildly acidic conditions, allowing rare earth elements (REEs) to remain in the saprolite and also the formation of secondary Al phosphates, instead of Fe phosphates. These conditions became more aggressive during the canga formation process, resulting in further removal of trace elements from the system. The canga formation (pedogenesis) and the chemical weathering of the itabirite (saprolite formation) are independent, but interrelated processes that have been occurring since the Palaeocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Imperial" topaz is a gemstone variety that occurs in the Ouro Preto region (Minas Gerais state, Brazil). Polygonal sectors within the core and rims of topaz crystals, were optically observed but without consensual explanations about them. With the aid of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy-cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL), backscattered electrons (BSE) imaging, electron probe micro-analyser (EPMA) chemical analyses and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) maps, the present study intended to demonstrate the distinct crystallographic orientations within "imperial" topaz and relate the polygonal sectors with the compositional data. Cross-polarised transmitted-light photomicrographs show a well delimited and optically heterogeneous central rhombic area at (21 l) in the cores, and quadrant-like and alternated extinction areas at (200, (010) and (110) in the rims. Scanning electron microscopy-cathodoluminescence images show a central rhombic area heterogeneously luminescent in the core, and dark and homogeneous rims. Grey and completely homogeneous BSE images and EPMA results corroborate constant and homogeneous major composition of "imperial" topaz. Electron backscatter diffraction maps collected in the rim region show different areas and microstructural features instead of a uniform microstructure. The respective pole figures of orthorhombic system yielded multiple (001) poles disoriented in higher than 15° from each other. These results display numerous c-axes, suggesting distinct crystallographic orientations, and no reduction in the orthorhombic symmetry. Therefore, the presumed monocrystal of "imperial" topaz actually is a polycrystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explores the use of EQ-5D-3L as a measure of population health status in a Brazilian region with significant socioeconomic, demographic, and epidemiological heterogeneity.Methods: Data came from a study of 3363 literate individuals aged between 18 and 64 years living in urban areas of the state of Minas Gerais. Descriptive analysis and logistic and OLS regression models were performed to analyze the relationship between EQ-5D-3L (descriptive system and EQ VAS) and other health (self-assessed health status and 8 self-reported diagnosed chronic diseases), socioeconomic (educational level and economic class), and demographic (gender and age) measures. Additionally, a grade of membership (GoM) analysis was performed to identify multidimensional health profiles.Results: A total of 76 health statuses were identified in the Brazilian population. The most prevalent one is full health (44 % of the sample). Elderly people, women, and individuals with poor health and lower socioeconomic conditions generally report more health problems in the EQ-5D-3L dimensions. The GoM analysis demonstrated that health status of older individuals is associated with the socioeconomic condition. Arthritis exhibited the strongest association with the EQ-5D-3L instrument.Conclusions: The results indicate that EQ-5D-3L is a good measure of health status for the Brazilian population. The instrument has a good discriminatory capacity in terms of demographic, socioeconomic, and health measures. The high prevalence of individuals with full health may indicate the presence of ceiling effect. However, this prevalence is smaller than that in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chapada das Perdizes is considered a region of high biodiversity, but there are few studies that describe the small mammals in the region, mainly in higher portions of the area. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the richness and abundance of terrestrial small mammals within three different vegetation types in the high altitude region of southern Minas Gerais and to evaluate the relationship between the community composition of terrestrial small mammals and the heterogeneity of phytophysiognomies. Pitfall and cage trap grids were arranged in natural field, semi-deciduous and cloud forests. A total of 26 species was recorded. The compositions of the three phytophysiognomies were significantly different. The expansive study area is located in a region of tension between the Cerrado and Atlantic Forests and should be preserved due to high diversity and ecological importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, 155 dogs euthanized by the Zoonotic Disease Unit of Uberlândia in Minas Gerais State (Southeast Brazil) were autopsied. Ectoparasites were collected, and the intestinal content of dogs was systematically examined for the presence of helminthic parasites. In total, we isolated 5,155 metazoan parasites of eight species (three intestinal helminth species, five ectoparasite species). The cestode Dipylidium caninum was present in 57 dogs (36.8 %), the nematodes Ancylostoma caninum in 30 (19.4 %) and Toxocara canis in 24 (15.5 %), respectively. Among the ectoparasites, 139 (89.7 %) dogs were infested with Rhipicephalus sanguineus, 115 (74.2 %) with Ctenocephalides felis, 5 (3.2 %) with Tunga penetrans and one specimen (0.7 %) with Amblyomma cajennense, while myiasis was found in one dog (0.7 %). In logistic regression analysis, young age (adjusted odds ratio 5.74; 95 % confidence interval 1.18-27.85) and male sex (3.60; 1.24-10.40) were significantly associated with toxocariasis, and crossbreed dogs (8.20; 1.52-44.31), with dipylidiasis. Male (2.23; 1.12-4.43) and crossbreed dogs (5.17; 1.17-22.83) had also a significant higher number of concomitant parasitoses. Spatial distribution of dogs by neighbourhood identified high-risk areas. Our systematic study shows that dogs in Uberlândia carry a high number of parasites which may cause zoonotic diseases in humans; therefore, further specific evidence-based intervention measures are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]