Urban seismic monitoring in Brasília, Brazil.

Urban seismology has gained scientific interest with the development of seismic ambient noise monitoring techniques and also for being a useful tool to connect society with the Earth sciences. The interpretation of the sources of seismic records generated by sporting events, traffic, or huge agglomerations arouses the population's curiosity and opens up a range of possibilities for new applications of seismology, especially in the area of urban monitoring. In this contribution, we present the analysis of seismic records from a station in the city of Brasilia during unusual episodes of silencing and noisy periods. Usually, cultural noise is observed in high-fequency bands. We showed in our analysis that cultural noise can also be observed in the low-frequency band, when high-frequency signal is attenuated. As examples of noisy periods, we have that of the Soccer World Cup in Brazil in 2014, where changes in noise are related to celebrations of goals and the party held by FIFA in the city, and the political manifestations in the period of the Impeachment trial in 2016, which reached the concentration of about 300,000 protesters. The two most characteristic periods of seismic silence have been the quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the trucker strike that occurred across the country in 2018, both drastically reducing the movement of people in the city.

Efeitos de uma disciplina de relações interpessoais no repertório social de estudantes de exatas / Effects of an interpersonal relations discipline on social repertoire of science exact students / Efectos de una disciplina de relaciones interpersonales en repertorio sociale de estudiantes de exactas

Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o repertório de habilidades sociais de estudantes de Ciências Exatas antes e após uma disciplina de Relações Interpessoais. Participaram deste estudo 21 universitários, sendo 17 do curso de Engenharia Elétrica e 4 de Química Industrial, matriculados na disciplina de Relações Interpessoais para o Curso de Engenharia Elétrica. A disciplina teórico-prática foi baseada em vivências e os estudantes responderam ao Inventário de Habilidades Sociais (IHS) e ao Questionário de Avaliação Final da Disciplina (QAFD). Os resultados apontaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas quanto ao escore geral de habilidades sociais e a média no QAVD entre as avaliações do pré e pós-teste. Foram observadas ainda correlações positivas e fortes entre o QAVD antes e após a disciplina. Além disso, (b) o escore geral QAVD após adisciplina se relacionou positiva e moderadamente com o escore geral (IHS) dehabilidades sociais no pós-teste.

This study aimed to evaluate the repertoire of social skills of students of Exact Sciences before and after an Interpersonal Relations discipline. Twenty-one university students participated in this study, of which 17 were from Electrical Engineering and 4 from Industrial Chemistry, enrolled in the discipline of Interpersonal Relationships for the Electrical Engineering Course. The theoretical-practical discipline was based on experiences and the students answered the Social Skills Inventory (IHS) and the Discipline Final Assessment Questionnaire (QAFD). The results showed statistically significant differences in the general social skills score and the mean in the QAVD between the pre and post-test evaluations. Positive and strong correlations were also observed between the QAVD before and after the discipline. In addition, (b) the overall QAVD post-discipline score was positively and moderately related to the overall social skills score (IHS) in the post-test.

Este estudio tuvo por objetivo evaluar el repertorio de habilidades sociales de estudiantes de Ciencias exactas antes y después de una disciplina de relaciones interpersonales. Participaron de este estudio 21 universitarios, siendo 17 del curso de Ingeniería Eléctrica y 4 de Química Industrial, matriculados en la disciplina de Relaciones Interpersonales para el Curso de Ingeniería Eléctrica. La disciplina teórico-práctica fue basada en vivencias y los estudiantes respondieron al inventario de Habilidades Sociales (IHS) y al Cuestionario de Evaluación Final de la Disciplina (QAFD). Los resultados apuntaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en cuanto al puntaje general de habilidades sociales y la media en el QAVD entre las evaluaciones del pre y post-test. Se observaron correlaciones positivas y fuertes entre el QAVD antes y después de la disciplina. Además, (b) el puntaje general QAVD post la disciplina se relacionó positiva y moderadamente con el puntaje general (IHS) de habilidades sociales en el post-test.

Land grabbing of farmland: the food security of the world in the hands of a few / Acaparamiento de tierras de cultivo: la seguridad alimentaria del mundo en manos de pocos

The practice of "land grabbing", or the large-scale hoarding of fertile lands in developing countries by rich countries, transnational corporations and individuals, in order to grow food beyond their borders, is today reaching historically unparalleled figures. Although the dominant discourse vindicates this process as an opportunity for the countries that are recipients of these practices, numerous voices warn about the role played by this phenomenon in the (re-) emergence and development of global and local problems. The objective of this work is to demystify the theoretical, political and historical proposal endorsed and promoted by international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in the light of conflicts over the use and ownership of land. Together, food security, impacts on small and medium-sized local farmers and migration are generating the current model of international land grabbing.

La práctica del "acaparamiento de tierras", o el acaparamiento a gran escala de tierras fértiles en países en desarrollo por parte de países ricos, corporaciones transnacionales e individuos, con el fin de cultivar alimentos más allá de sus fronteras, está alcanzando hoy cifras históricamente incomparables. Aunque el discurso dominante reivindica este proceso como una oportunidad para los países que son receptores de estas prácticas, numerosas voces advierten sobre el papel desempeñado por este fenómeno en la (re) aparición y desarrollo de problemas globales y locales. El objetivo de este trabajo es desmitificar la propuesta teórica, política e histórica respaldada y promovida por organizaciones internacionales como el Fondo Monetario Internacional y el Banco Mundial a la luz de los conflictos sobre el uso y la propiedad de la tierra. Juntos, la seguridad alimentaria, los impactos en los pequeños y medianos agricultores locales y la migración están generando el modelo actual de acaparamiento internacional de tierras.

Brunei Publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded (1973-2016): Bibliometrics and comparison with other tropical countries / Publicaciones de Brunei en el Science Citation Index Expanded (1973-2016): Bibliometría y comparación con otros países tropicales

Abstract Brunei is a small tropical country -located in Southeast Asia- for which there are no previous bibliometric studies. Here we analyze papers published by Brunei scientists from 1973 to 2016 in the Science Citation Index Expanded and compare results with other tropical countries. We identified 1 547 publications and 11 document types. The most productive categories were ecology, multidisciplinary geosciences, inorganic and nuclear chemistry, and environmental sciences. Singapore Medical Journal published most of these papers, and the three most productive institutions were Universiti Brunei Darussalam, RIPAS Hospital, and Universiti Teknologi Brunei. UK and Malaysia were the most frequent collaborating countries. M.A. Ali from the Universiti Brunei Darussalam was the most prolific author and a Brunei independent article written by C.K. Morley from the Universiti Brunei Darussalam in 2002 had the highest number of citations of the whole period and the highest number in 2016. The tropical countries of Central America and Asia have a few similarities but also important differences, and both are highly heterogeneous in scientific organization and productivity. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(3): 1090-1100. Epub 2018 September 01.

Resumen Brunei es un pequeño país tropical del sudeste asiático, sobre el cual no hay estudios bibliométricos. Aquí analizamos los artículos publicados por científicos de Brunei de 1973 a 2016 y comparamos los resultados con otros países tropicales. Examinamos los documentos del Science Citation Index Expanded en la colección principal del Web of Science. Hallamos 1 547 publicaciones de Brunei con 11 tipos de documentos, donde las categorías más productivas fueron ecología, geociencias multidisciplinarias, química inorgánica y nuclear, y ciencias ambientales. Singapore Medical Journal publicó la mayoría, y las tres instituciones más productivas fueron: Universiti Brunei Darussalam, RIPAS Hospital y Universiti Teknologi Brunei. Reino Unido y Malasia fueron los países que más colaboraron con Brunei. M.A. Ali de la Universidad Brunei Darussalam fue el autor más prolífico. El mayor número total de citas, y el mayor número de citas en 2016, correspondieron a un artículo exclusivamente de Brunei, escrito por C. K. Morley de la Universiti Brunei Darussalam en 2002. Los países tropicales de América Central y Asia tienen algunas similitudes pero también diferencias importantes, siendo heterogéneos en su organización científica y productividad.

Analysis of an advisor-advisee relationship: an exploratory study of the area of exact and Earth sciences in Brazil.

Scientific collaboration has been studied by researchers for decades. Several approaches have been adopted to address the question of how collaboration has evolved in terms of publication output, numbers of coauthors, and multidisciplinary trends. One particular type of collaboration that has received very little attention concerns advisor and advisee relationships. In this paper, we examine this relationship for the researchers who are involved in the area of Exact and Earth Sciences in Brazil and its eight subareas. These pairs are registered in the Lattes Platform that manages the individual curricula vitae of Brazilian researchers. The individual features of these academic researchers and their coauthoring relationships were investigated. We have found evidence that there exists positive correlation between time of advisor-advisee relationship with the advisee's productivity. Additionally, there has been a gradual decline in advisor-advisee coauthoring over a number of years as measured by the Kulczynski index, which could be interpreted as decline of the dependence.

A Terra 'quente' na imprensa: confiabilidade de notícias sobre aquecimento global / 'Hot' Earth in the mass media: the reliability of news reports on global warming

Pesquisa sobre confiabilidade de notícias a respeito do 'aquecimento global', em veículos do grupo de comunicação UOL, Folha.com e Folha de S. Paulo, revelou certa polaridade de posições entre a concordância plena de que as causas sejam exclusivamente antrópicas (posição predominante) e sua completa negação. A amostra compreende 676 notícias, entre mais de três mil relacionadas ao tema, entre outubro de 2007 e outubro de 2008. Avaliou-se a hipótese de ser o noticiário dos três meios de comunicação dominado pelas posições do Painel Intergovernamental de Mudança Climática. Em termos absolutos, o Painel é a fonte mais referenciada, pois apenas sete notícias constituem exceções ao 'consenso'. Tais opiniões contrárias perfazem 1,03% da amostra.

Research into the reliability of news reports on 'global warming' published by the UOL media group, Folha.com and Folha de S. Paulo reveals a tendency for positions to be polarized between complete agreement with the assertion that the causes are entirely anthropogenic (the dominant position) and complete denial. The sample comprised 676 news items from more than 3,000 published on the topic between October 2007 and October 2008. The study tested the hypothesis that the news output of the three media outlets is dominated by the positions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In absolute terms, the panel is the most frequently cited source, since just seven news items comprised exceptions to the 'consensus.' These contrary opinions made up 1.03% of the sample.

Fatos que mudaram nossa forma de ver o ser humano. v. 2: Ciências exatas / Facts that have changed our way of seeing the human being. v. 23: Exact Science

Nessa coletânea de 53 textos, o leitor encontrará um panorama sucinto, porém esclarecedor, de grandes feitos no campo das ciências exatas. São episódios marcantes da física, química, engenharia e comunicações, que vão desde a construção dos primeiros relógios mecânicos, no século 13, até o início da era espacial e o surgimento da internet, passando pela descoberta da eletricidade, no início da década de 1980...

Considerações sobre os conceitos de natureza, espaço e morfologia em Alexander von Humboldt e a gênese da geografia física moderna / Considerations on the concepts of nature, space, and morphology in Alexander von Humboldt and on the genesis of modern physical geography

Discute a formação dos conceitos de natureza, espaço e morfologia na obra de Alexander von Humboldt e seus impactos na formação da geografia física moderna. Influenciado pelas reflexões de Kant em Crítica do juízo e pelos trabalhos de Goethe e Schelling, Humboldt desenvolveu nova interpretação e representação para a natureza na superfície da Terra, em que o conceito de espacialidade é fundamental para a explicação dos fenômenos da natureza. A geografia física moderna estrutura-se a partir de complexo cruzamento de influências estéticas e instrumentais desenvolvidas por Humboldt, nas quais o princípio da conexão é importante para a invenção artística e científica do conceito de paisagem geográfica.

The article discusses how Alexander von Humboldt developed the concepts of nature, space, and morphology in his works and impacted the shaping of modern physical geography. Influenced by Kant's ideas in Critique of judgment and also by the writings of Goethe and Schelling, Humboldt devised a new interpretation and representation of nature on Earth's surface, wherein the concept of space is essential to explaining natural phenomena. Modern physical geography is grounded in a complex interweaving of aesthetic and instrumental influences fashioned by Humboldt, with the principle of connection playing an important role in the artistic and scientific development of the notion of a geographic landscape.

Cryptic biodiversity in a changing world.

DNA studies are revealing the extent of hidden, or cryptic, biodiversity. Two new studies challenge paradigms about cryptic biodiversity and highlight the importance of adding a historical and biogeographic dimension to biodiversity research.

Mediciones fotogramétricas para determinar variaciones de la posición de la línea de costa en el cordon litoral de la laguna de Unare estado Anzoategui Venezuela / Photogrametric assesment of changes of coastal line position in the Unare lagoon barrier Anzoategui state Venezuela

El objetivo de este trabajo fue la cuantificación tempo-espacial de cambios en la posición de la línea de costa, en el sector de la laguna de Unare, Estado Anzoategui. Se realizaron mediciones fotogramétricas, usando la cobertura aerofotográfica de distintos años del Instituto Geográfico de Venezuela "Simón Bolívar", correspondientes a las exposiciones 2293A de la misión de enero del año 1961. a escala 1:50.000 y las fotografías 037, 111, 040 y 042 de la misión 0401161, a escala 1:10.000, del año 1980. Debido a la dificultad para localizar con precisión en el área a medir (cordón litoral de la laguna de Unare) los mismos puntos en misiones tan diferentes, se utilizó un método geométrico. Los resultados indican que existe un retroceso de la línea de costa de 150 metros aproximadamente, entre 1961 y 1980, lo cual puede considerarse como un efecto combinado de factores y elementos naturales y antrópicos de carácter regional y/o local, introduciendo serias modificaciones en el balance sedimentario. Esto genera erosión de las playas, con evidente retroceso de la línea costera y afectación de la infraestructura existente por socavación de sus bases, trayendo pérdidas económicas a los habitantes y organismos que operan en el área. Se recomienda promover investigaciones detalladas de estos problemas, con la finalidad de conocer a fondo la situación y establecer normas y medidas de ocupación y manejo del espacio, tendientes a mitigar y prevenir el impacto de la erosión costera sobre la región y sus habitantes.