Evaluation of SIR-A (Shuttle Imaging Radar) images from the Tres Marias region (Minas Gerais State, Brazil) using derived spatial features and registration with MSS-LANDSAT images

Two image processing experiments are described using a MSS-LANDSAT scene from the Tres Marias region and a shuttle Imaging Radar SIR-A image digitized by a vidicon scanner. In the first experiment the study area is analyzed using the original and preprocessed SIR-A image data. The following thematic classes are obtained: (1) water, (2) dense savanna vegetation, (3) sparse savanna vegetation, (4) reforestation areas and (5) bare soil areas. In the second experiment, the SIR-A image was registered together with MSS-LANDSAT bands five, six, and seven. The same five classes mentioned above are obtained. These results are compared with those obtained using solely MSS-LANDSAT data. The spatial information as well as coregistered SIR-A and MSS-LANDSAT data can increase the separability between classes, as compared to the use of raw SIR-A data solely

Evaluation of reforestation using remote sensing techniques

The utilization of remotely sensed orbital data for forestry inventory. The study area (approximately 491,100 ha) encompasses the municipalities of Ribeirao Preto, Altinopolis, Cravinhos, Serra Azul, Luis Antonio, Sao Simao, Sant Rita do Passa Quatro and Santa Rosa do Viterbo (Sao Paulo State). Materials used were LANDSAT data from channels 5 and 7 (scale 1:250,000) and CCT's. Visual interpretation of the imagery showed that for 1977 a total of 37,766.00 ha and for 1979 38,003.75 ha were reforested with Pinus and Eucalyptus within the area under study. The results obtained show that LANDSAT data can be used efficiently in forestry inventory studies

Automatic interpretation of MSS-LANDSAT data applied to coal refuse site studies in southern Santa Catarina State, Brazil

The coal mining district in southeastern Santa Catarina State is considered one of the most polluted areas of Brazil. The author has identified significant preliminary results on the application of MSS-LANDSAT digital data to monitor the coal refuse areas and its environmental consequences in this region

Use of LANDSAT images to study cerrado vegetation

Channel 5 and 7 LANDSAT imagery at the scale of 1:250,000 made during passes in the dry and rainy seasons were used to select the optimal season for cerrado characterization in Mato Grosso do Sul State. The study area is located around the cities of Campo Grande and Tres Lagoas, a region being used for reforestation and rangeland activities. Imagery acquired during the dry season permitted a good discrimination between "cerrado" (woodsy pasture) vegetation and reforestation. In relation to the altered areas, only the recently modified area presented good discrimination of cerrado vegetation. Imagery of the rainy season did not provide a reasonable separation between cerrado and reforestation areas but the altered area could be easily discriminated

Perubahan Pola Ruang Dalam Pada Home Industry Sarung Tenun Samarinda Di Kecamatan Samarinda Seberang

Sarung Tenun Asli Samarinda merupakan salah satu ikon kota Samarinda. Konsekuensi dari hal tersebut, maka di kota Samarinda banyak dijumpai USAha kerajinan Sarung Tenun Samarinda. Usaha-USAha tersebut berkembang pada rumah-rumah penduduk di Kecamatan Samarinda Seberang. Dengan adanya fungsi produktif yang masuk ke dalam fungsi domestik hunian, maka menyebabkan beberapa Perubahan pada pola ruang dalam home industry yang awalnya merupakan fungsi domestik(tempat tinggal dan aktivitas rumah tangga) berubah ke fungsi produktif(proses produksi sarung). Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengidentifikasi dan menganalisa pola/bentuk Perubahan yang terjadi pada ruang dalam home industry Sarung Tenun Samarinda di Kecamatan Samarinda Seberang. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode penelitian deskriptif kualitatif yang bertujuan untuk memberikan penggambaran terhadap objek dan permasalahan yang diteliti. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa ada 3 jenis Perubahan yang terjadi pada home industry Sarung Tenun Samarinda. Sejumlah 61% dari keseluruhan total objek mengalami Perubahan kecil, 24% mengalami Perubahan sedang dan sisanya yaitu 15% mengalami Perubahan besar

Screening of cryptic species among clinical Aspergillus isolates collected during one year period in a Portuguese reference laboratory

Objectives: Correct identification of Aspergillus species is important given that sibling species may show variable susceptibilities to multiple antifungal drugs and also because sharper definition of species may facilitate epidemiological studies. Thus, we screened Aspergillus clinical isolates from Portuguese hospitals to determine which, if any, of the cryptic species of Aspergillus were involved in patient infections. Methods: Over a one year period, Aspergillus isolates from Portuguese health institutions were collected. These isolates were identified on the basis of microscopic morphology and through the use of molecular tools. Genomic DNA was prepared from each isolate and the sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) regions, specifically the ITS1 and ITS2 non-coding regions flanking the 5.8S rDNA was used to determine the species complex, whereas β-tubulin and calmodulin sequencing was done to achieve the correct species identification. Results: Over the study period, 57 Aspergillus isolates from clinical samples were collected from 10 Portuguese health institutions. According to the morphological observations, 29 isolates were identified as Aspergillus fumigatus, 11 A. flavus, 8 A. niger, 3 A. nidulans, 2 A. terreus, 2 A. candidus and 2 Aspergillus sp. Among those isolates, six species-complexes were detected by ITS sequencing, and were distributed as follows: fumigati (50.1%), flavi (21.0%), nigri (15.8%), terrei (5.3%), nidulantes (3.6%) and versicolores (3.6%). β-tubulin and calmodulin sequencing resulted in ten (17.5%) cryptic species being identified among the 57 isolates. Six of those isolates belonged to the nigri complex (A. brasiliensis, A. awamorii and A. tubigensis), two to the versicolores complex (A. sidowii and A. fructus), one to the fumigati complex (A. lentulus) and one to the nidulantes complex (Emmericella echinulata). Conclusion: With rigorous application of molecular tools, cryptic species of Aspergillus are not uncommon in the clinic. The identification of cryptic species among the collected clinical isolates of Aspergillus alerts the clinician to isolates with reduced susceptibilities to antifungal drugs and emphasizes a correct identification to species level

Analysis of a model with a common source of CP violation

We work in a model where all CP violating phenomena have a common source. CP is spontaneously broken at a large scale $V$ through the phase of a complex singlet scalar. An additional $SU(2)_L$ singlet vector-like down-type quark relates this high scale CP violation to low energy. We quantitatively analyze this model in the quark sector. We obtain the numerical values of the parameters of the Lagrangian in the quark sector for a specific ansatz of the $4\times4$ down-type quark mass matrix where the weak phase is generated minimally. $Z \bar b b$ vertex will modify in presence of the extra vector-like down-type quark. From the experimental lower bound of the partial decay width $Z\to \bar b b$ we find out the lower bound of the additional down-type quark mass. Tree level flavor changing neutral current appears in this model due to the presence of the extra vector-like down-type quark. We give the range of values of the mass splitting $\Delta m_{B_q}$ in $B^0_q-{\bar B}^0_q$ system using SM box, $Z$ mediating tree level and $Z$ mediating one loop diagrams together for both $q=d, s$. We find out the analytical expression for $\Gamma_{12}^q$ in this model from standard box, $Z$ and Higgs mediated penguin diagrams for $B^0_q-{\bar B}^0_q$ system, $q=d,s$. From this we numerically evaluate the decay width difference $|\Delta\Gamma_{B_q}/\Gamma_{B_q}|$. We also find out the numerical values of the CP asymmetry parameters $a_J$ and $a_\pi$ for the decays $B^0_d\to J/\psi K_s$ and $B^0_d\to \pi^+ \pi^-$ respectively. We get the lower bound of the scale $V$ through the upper bound of the strong CP phase.Comment: 20 pages, no figures New materials and references have been added. Text has been modified. To be appear in J.Phys.

Neurofibromatosis type 1: Modeling CNS dysfunction

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is the most common monogenic disorder in which individuals manifest central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities. Affected individuals develop glial neoplasms (optic gliomas, malignant astrocytomas) and neuronal dysfunction (learning disabilities, attention deficits). Nf1 genetically-engineered mouse models have revealed the molecular and cellular underpinnings of gliomagenesis, attention deficit, and learning problems with relevance to basic neurobiology. Using NF1 as a model system, these studies have revealed critical roles for the NF1 gene in non-neoplastic cells in the tumor microenvironment, the importance of brain region heterogeneity, novel mechanisms of glial growth regulation, the neurochemical bases for attention deficit and learning abnormalities, and new insights into neural stem cell function. Here we review recent studies, presented at a symposium at the 2012 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, that highlight unexpected cell biology insights into RAS and cyclic AMP pathway effects on neural progenitor signaling, neuronal function, and oligodendrocyte lineage differentiation

Fungal Meningitis in an Immunocompetent Patient

Cryptococcal meningitis is a rare entity among immunocompetent hosts but, when it occurs, it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Clinical presen- tation as well as the course of the disease is usually subtle and indolent with headache and altered mental status. The authors present the case of a 59-year-old man, who sought medical help with a 2-week history of headaches accompanied by nausea and visual and hearing disturbances. On admission the patient was afebrile, presented visual and hearing deficits and had a normal magnetic resonance image of the brain. A lumbar puncture was performed and microscopic examination of the cerebrospinal fluid revealed yeasts that were identified as Cryptococcus spp. and later, by means of molecular biology techniques, as Cryptococcus neoformans, var. grubii. The patient was treated with liposomal amphotericin B plus fluconazole for 28 weeks. At follow-up after 1 year the patient was asymptomatic and received fluconazole 400 mg/day as prophylactic therapy. The outcome of Cryptococcus infections in immunocompetent hosts is reported to be poor as a result of a delayed diagnosis and suboptimal initial antifungal therapy. The influence of the normal immune response is unclear