Factors influencing the food transition in riverine communities in the Brazilian Amazon

The objective of this study was to determine the main patterns and factors influencing food transition in riverine people in the Brazilian Amazon. Through interviews with a semi-structured questionnaire, we inferred their food habits and provide information about general demographic, socioeconomic, resource use and environmental context. Data from the questionnaires were categorized and analyzed using a logistic regression model to assess the relative influence of socioeconomic and environment factors on the local diet. Based on a logistic regression data analysis, it was found a greater consumption of processed food significantly associated with multiple factors such as market participation, sex (female and male), government aid to forest conservation and environment context (upland and wetland). Although the local diet is composed mainly of local resources such as fish and cassava flour, increasing incomes due to direct government subsidy programs and marketing of cassava flour have influenced these local practices and habits. Through the analysis of factors influencing food transition, it was possible to evaluate those having the greatest effect on this Amazon region and propose an alternative method to subsidy food policy grounded in local opinion surveys.     

Deposition and leaching of tebuthiuron on sugar cane straw applied with and without alkyl polyglycoside adjuvant

A laboratory experiment was carried out aiming to study the effects of an alkyl polyglycoside adjuvant (APG) on deposition and leaching of the herbicide tebuthiuron applied on sugar cane straw. Tebuthiuron, at concentration of 1200 mg L(-1), was applied separately and in tank mix with the APG adjuvant, at concentrations of 0.07 and 0.09% (wt v(-1)), using a spraying volume of 204 L ha(-1). A precipitation equivalent to 20 mm of rain was simulated, 24 h after the applications, to evaluate the herbicide leaching. The quantification of tebuthiuron was carried out by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was observed that the addition of APG adjuvant at 0.07% (wt v(-1)) provided an increase of 11.5% in the deposition of tebuthiuron on straw, reduction of 50.4% in the drift of the herbicide and it did not affect significantly the leached amount (68.5%), when compared with the treatment where tebuthiuron was applied alone (70.8%). At the concentration of 0.09% (wt v(-1)), the APG adjuvant caused an increase of 22.7% in the deposition; it reduced the drift of the herbicide by 99.9% and reduced the leached amount by 7.6% thereby increasing the retention of the herbicide by straw.     

Modelling skewed data with many zeros: A simple approach combining ordinary and logistic regression

We discuss a method for analyzing data that are positively skewed and contain a substantial proportion of zeros. Such data commonly arise in ecological applications, when the focus is on the abundance of a species. The form of the distribution is then due to the patchy nature of the environment and/or the inherent heterogeneity of the species. The method can be used whenever we wish to model the data as a response variable in terms of one or more explanatory variables. The analysis consists of three stages. The first involves creating two sets of data from the original: one shows whether or not the species is present; the other indicates the logarithm of the abundance when it is present. These are referred to as the presence data and the log-abundance data, respectively. The second stage involves modelling the presence data using logistic regression, and separately modelling the log-abundance data using ordinary regression. Finally, the third stage involves combining the two models in order to estimate the expected abundance for a specific set of values of the explanatory variables. A common approach to analyzing this sort of data is to use a ln (y+c) transformation, where c is some constant (usually one). The method we use here avoids the need for an arbitrary choice of the value of c, and allows the modelling to be carried out in a natural and straightforward manner, using well-known regression techniques. The approach we put forward is not original, having been used in both conservation biology and fisheries. Our objectives in this paper are to (a) promote the application of this approach in a wide range of settings and (b) suggest that parametric bootstrapping be used to provide confidence limits for the estimate of expected abundance.     

Site-Specific Characterization of Castromil Brownfield Area Related to Gold Mining Activities

Castromil is one of the gold mining areas in Portugal that has been abandoned since 1940. This area, which was first mined in Roman times, is located within a Hercynian granite body near the contact with Silurian metasediments. Gold is essentially disseminated along veins in the silicified granite, running NW-SE, related with a shear zone and frequently associated with sulphides (arsenopyrite and basically pyrite). In paragenetic terms, three stages of mineralization are considered: ferro-arseniferous (quartz + arsenopyrite I + pyrite I + pyrrhotite + bismuth), zinciferous (sphalerite + chalcopyrite), and remobilization (arsenopyrite II + galena + gold). Due to the lack of laws and environmental education, Castromil is today a gold mining heritage site where we can detect the consequences of an incautious exploration (tailings, wells and adits located in the old explored zone) and where a residential area is located. In order to characterize the actual state of the old mining area the trace metal contamination of soils and waters by mining activities was investigated. In the studied area 106 soil samples, 15 waters and 20 plants were sampled and analysed. The soil samples were analysed for 32 elements by ICP-AES. Waters were analysed by ionic chromatography and ICP-MS for major and trace elements. Plants were analysed for As, Fe and Pb by AAS. The results are discussed taking into account the risk-based standards for soils and groundwater's (target and intervention values) proposed by Swartjes (1999). The results show elevated concentration of As and Pb which were found in soils collected from agricultural areas. Foodstuff plants species collected in the Castromil agricultural area show high concentrations of As in the leaves (cabbage and lettuce) and in the tubers (potatoes). Groundwaters in the mining area contain high concentrations of As that exceeds the intervention values. The area must to be subject to a remediation process, considering the actual risks to humans and ecosystems and the risks due to contaminant migration.     

The use of Microtox to assess toxicity removal of industrial effluents from the industrial district of Camaçari (BA, Brazil)

The treatment efficiency, as toxicity removal, of complex effluents from the Industrial District of Cama?ari (BA, Brazil), after biological treatment with activated sludge was evaluated using Microtox. Samples of the equalised effluent (EE) were collected prior to treatment together with samples of the treated effluent (TE), which remained 24 h in the treatment plant. Rehydrated colonies of Vibrio fischeri were exposed to sequential dilutions of EE and TE to assess luminosity interference. Values for EC50 were calculated, together with the respective toxicity units. In all, twenty assays of each effluent type were carried out and the mean toxicity removal was 92.71%, while the chemical oxygen demand (COD) presented mean reduction of 83.04%. There was a variability of an order of magnitude between the Microtox results for the two types of effluents. The mean EC50 values were 2.12 for EE and 47.78% for TE. In spite of its weakness in some conditions, the Microtox system demonstrated to work adequately in assessing effluent toxicity removal in this treatment plant and therefore can be used for further toxicity removal programs.     

Cadmium,zinc and total mercury levels in the tissues of several fish species from La Plata river estuary,Argentina

A survey of the concentrations of heavy metals — cadmium, zinc and total mercury — in the tissues of fifteen fish species from Samborombón Bay, La Plata river estuary, in Argentina, has been carried out. Liver appeared to be the main organ accumulating cadmium and zinc, while both liver and muscle showed a similar ability for accumulating mercury. The bioaccumulation process was verified for the three metals analyzed, even though low concentrations have been determined. The biomagnification process of the metals studied was not verified in this environment. The highest metal concentrations were recorded in Mugil liza, and particulate matter and sediments — which are closely related to its trophic and ecological habits — seemed to be the main source of metals for this species. Both Micropogonias furnieri and Mugil liza were recognized as possible indicator species for future monitoring programmes for heavy metals in Samborombón Bay. Considering the present results, this area of La Plata river estuary is characterized as a non-polluted environment.Scientific Researcher from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Researches (CONICET), of Argentina     

Integrating geochemical (surface waters, stream sediments) and biological (diatoms) approaches to assess AMD environmental impact in a pyritic mining area: Aljustrel (Alentejo, Portugal)

Aljustrel mines were classified as having high environmental hazard due to their large tailings volume and high metal concentrations in waters and sediments.To assess acid mine drainage impacted systems whose environmental conditions change quickly,the use of biological indicators with short generation time such as diatoms is advantageous.This study combined geochemical and diatom data,whose results were highlighted in 3 groups:Group 1,with low p H(1.9–5.1)and high metal/metalloid(Al,As,Cd,Co,Cu,Fe,Mn,Ni,Pb,Zn;0.65–1032 mg/L)and SO_4(405–39124 mg/L)concentrations.An acidophilic species,Pinnularia aljustrelica,was perfectly adapted to the adverse conditions;in contrast,teratological forms of Eunotia exigua were found,showing that metal toxicity affected this species.The low availability of metals/metalloids in sediments of this group indicates that metals/metalloids of the exchangeable fractions had been solubilized,which in fact enables metal/metalloid diatom uptake and consequently the occurrence of teratologies;Group 2,with sites of near neutral p H(5.0–6.8)and intermediate metal/metalloid(0.002–6 mg/L)and SO_4(302–2179 mg/L)concentrations;this enabled the existence of typical species of uncontaminated streams(Brachysira neglectissima,Achnanthidium minutissimum);Group 3,with samples from unimpacted sites,showing low metal/metalloid(0–0.8 mg/L)and SO_4(10–315 mg/L)concentrations,high pH(7.0–8.4)and Cl contents(10–2119 mg/L)and the presence of brackish to marine species(Entomoneis paludosa).For similar conditions of acidity,differences in diversity,abundance and teratologies of diatoms can be explained by the levels of metals/metalloids.     

Effects of customized foot orthoses on manufacturing workers in the metal industry

This 8-week study evaluates the effects of customized foot orthoses on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) of metal industry workers. These WMSDs were evaluated applying the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ) at three different times (start, 4th week and 8th week) and additional questions were also formulated to obtain information about adaptation, fatigue, comfort and possible improvements. According to the NMQ results, statistical significance was found in the improvements after 4?weeks (p?<?0.05 in two areas, p?<?0.01 in three areas, p?<?0.001 in two areas and no significance in the other two) and after 8?weeks (p?<?0.01 in three areas, p?<?0.001 in four areas and no significance in the other two). The additional questions indicated fatigue reduction (both in general and in lower extremity), comfort level increase (after the adaptation period) and good acceptance, according to workers’ answers, suggesting customized orthoses can be effective in reducing and preventing WMSDs in several body regions.