The Brazilian World Cup: too hot for soccer?

The main objective of this research was to analyze the climate data for the host cities of the soccer World Cup held in Brazil in June and July 2014. A great deal of criticism was expressed about the Brazilian climate in the national and international press and media in the run-up to the competition, suggesting that the air temperature and relative air humidity would be the main adversaries of the soccer teams, especially those from Europe, during the competition. An analysis of the weather was done at the places and times of each of the 64 matches held. A human thermal comfort index was calculated (discomfort index (DI)) for each of the matches in order to discover the real climatic conditions in the host cities during the 2014 World Cup and their potential influence on the teams and human comfort in general. During the 2014 World Cup, only two matches were played at temperatures above 30 °C, representing a negligible percentage of the total number of matches. The air temperature for over half the matches (53%) was 20-25 °C. The results showed the air temperature and relative humidity data analyzed here both individually and in the form of an index indicate that the World Cup held in Brazil in 2014 did not put any of the players at risk due to extreme heat.

[Land use and occupation and hantavirosis dissemination in the São Sebastião region, Federal District: 2004 - 2008]. / Uso e ocupação do solo e a disseminação da hantavirose na região de São Sebastião, Distrito Federal: 2004 - 2008.

INTRODUCTION: Hantavirosis has worldwide distribution and is an important public health problem. The epidemiology of hantavirosis in Brazil shows that the number of cases notified and the number of variants discovered in several states and the Federal District have been increasing year by year. Within this context, the main objective of this study was to examine land use and occupation in relation to the spread of hantavirosis in the Federal District, between 2004 and 2008. METHODS: To carry out this investigation, epidemiological and land use data were used to drafting tables and cartograms in order to detail the special spread of hantavirosis in this area. RESULTS: Out of the 40 likely infection sites plotted on the coverage and land use map, 19 (47%) were in pasture areas, 10 (25%) in urban areas (periurban), 6 (15%) in areas used for agriculture and 5 (12%) in savanna areas. CONCLUSIONS: It can thus be seen that agricultural activities and urban expansion towards the savanna areas have favored the spread of hantavirosis in the Federal District and especially in São Sebastião.

Uso e ocupação do solo e a disseminação da hantavirose na região de São Sebastião, Distrito Federal: 2004 - 2008 / Land use and occupation and hantavirosis dissemination in the São Sebastião region, Federal District: 2004 - 2008

INTRODUÇÃO: As hantaviroses apresentam distribuição mundial e constituem importante problema de saúde pública. A epidemiologia da hantavirose no Brasil mostra que vem aumentando a cada ano o número de casos que são notificados e de variantes que têm sido descobertas em diversos estados e no Distrito Federal. Neste contexto, o estudo tem como objetivo principal analisar o uso e da ocupação do solo na disseminação da hantavirose no Distrito Federal, no período de 2004 a 2008. MÉTODOS: Para a realização desta pesquisa, foram utilizados dados epidemiológicos e do uso da terra com fins de elaborar tabelas e cartogramas para detalhar a espacialização da hantavirose no território. RESULTADOS: Dos 40 locais prováveis de infecção (LPIs) plotados no Mapa de Cobertura e Uso da Terra, 19 (47 por cento) ocorreram em áreas de pastagens, 10 (25 por cento) em área urbana (periurbana), 6 (15 por cento) em áreas utilizadas para a agricultura e 5 (12 por cento) em espaços de cerrado. CONCLUSÕES: Sendo assim, as atividades agrícolas e a expansão urbana em direção às áreas de cerrado vêm favorecendo a disseminação da hantavirose no Distrito Federal e em especialmente em São Sebastião.

INTRODUCTION: Hantavirosis has worldwide distribution and is an important public health problem. The epidemiology of hantavirosis in Brazil shows that the number of cases notified and the number of variants discovered in several states and the Federal District have been increasing year by year. Within this context, the main objective of this study was to examine land use and occupation in relation to the spread of hantavirosis in the Federal District, between 2004 and 2008. METHODS: To carry out this investigation, epidemiological and land use data were used to drafting tables and cartograms in order to detail the special spread of hantavirosis in this area. RESULTS: Out of the 40 likely infection sites plotted on the coverage and land use map, 19 (47 percent) were in pasture areas, 10 (25 percent) in urban areas (periurban), 6 (15 percent) in areas used for agriculture and 5 (12 percent) in savanna areas. CONCLUSIONS: It can thus be seen that agricultural activities and urban expansion towards the savanna areas have favored the spread of hantavirosis in the Federal District and especially in São Sebastião.