There has been an increase of attention placed on the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), within South Africa. This has led to a number of controversies surrounding the legitimacy of ADHD diagnoses. And how effective the systems of categorising and diagnosing disorders are in aiding a number of practitioners in formulating a disorder. There is a substantial agreement within the literature that the understanding of ADHD is limited, the focus is mainly on the symptoms of disorders. This study explores the perceptions practitioners in the field, in identifying the effectiveness of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental disorders (DSM) is for diagnosing ADHD. It became evident throughout this study that there is no consensus around the efficacy of the DSM. Furthermore, ADHD is not completely understood and therefore creates serious implications for the treatment and diagnosis of the disorder.

Cardiovascular complications associated with elevated levels of glucose in the blood (Hyperglycemia, HG) is a growing health concern. HG is known to be associated with a variety of cardiovascular morbidities including higher incidence of electrical disturbances. Although effects of chronic HG have been widely investigated, electrophysiological effects of acute hyperglycemia are relatively less known. Further, hyperglycemic effects on adrenergic response is not widely investigated. We used excised ventricular tissues from mice to record trans-membrane potentials during a variety of pacing protocols to investigate cellular/tissue level electrophysiological effects of acute hyperglycemia and adrenergic stimulation (1µM Isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist). A custom program was used to compute action potential durations (APD), maximal rates of depolarization (dv/dtmax), and action potential amplitudes (APA) from the recorded trans-membrane potentials. From these computed measures, electrical restitution and alternans threshold were quantified. Restitution was quantified using the Standard Protocol (SP; basic cycle length BCL= 200ms), Dynamic Protocol (DP; 200-40ms or until blockade) and a novel diastolic interval (DI) control protocol with Sinusoidal Changes in DI. Results from 6 mice show that acute hyperglycemia causes prolongation of the APD. Effects of adrenergic stimulation during acute hyperglycemia were partially blunted compared with non-hyperglycemic state, i.e. hyperglycemia minimized the decrease in APD that was produced by adrenergic stimulation. Similar, but less consistent (across animals) effects were seen in other electrophysiological parameters such as alternans threshold. These results show that acute hyperglycemia may itself alter cellular level electrophysiology of myocytes and importantly, modify adrenergic response. These results suggest that in addition to long term re-modeling that occurs in diabetes, acute changes in glucose levels also affect electrical function and further may contribute to systemically observed changes in diabetes by blunting adrenergic response. Therefore, further investigation into the electrophysiological effects of acute changes in glucose levels are warranted.

Cette étude avait pour objectif premier une caractérisation biomécanique du simple pas chez le sujet " normal ". À cet effet, on a considéré l'effet de la vitesse, ce qui a notamment permis de tester l'invariance de l'égalité entre la perturbation appliquée au corps lors de son accélération et la contre-perturbation lors de son freinage (CPA) permettant le retour au repos. Ainsi , le rôle des CPA se trouve explicité. Dans une seconde série expérimentale, on a considéré l'effet du frottement à l'arrêt du mouvement. L'objet de cette série était de caractériser la modification des caractéristiques biomécaniques chez le sujet " normal ". La caractérisation n'a pas soulevé de problèmes majeurs, l'effet de la vitesse se confirmant pour les deux coefficients de frottement (COF) considérés ( Téflon et Carrelage ). En revanche, les différences entre caractéristiques biomécaniques paraissent ne pas être significatives quand le COF diffère. Néanmoins, si l'on considère les résultats individuels, on constate que la durée des CPA tend à être systématiquement supérieure pour le COF le plus faible (Téflon), alors que le pic d'amplitude est systématiquement inférieur . Ces résultats incitent à approfondir l'étude de l'effet du frottement sur le simple pas. En conclusion , le simple pas semble être un paradigme permettant d'obtenir des résultats robustes et facilement utilisables pour étudier des personnes vieillissantes ou handicapées .

Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs) are protein or glycoprotein toxins that bring about the arrest of protein synthesis by directly interacting with and inactivating the ribosomes. Such toxins are in general, of plant origin and differ from bacterial toxins that inhibit protein synthesis by mechanisms other than ribosome inactivation. After the toxins had been in the centre of interest in biomedical research for a couple of decades in the end of 19th century, the scientific community largely lost interest in the plant toxins. Interest in these toxins was revived when it was found that they are more toxic to tumor cells when compared to normal cells. Based on their structure RIPs can be classified into three types: Type I RIPs – They consist exclusively of a single RNA-N-glycosidase chain of ~30kDa. Type II RIPs – They consists of chain-A comparable to type I RIPs linked by a disulfide bridge to an unrelated chain-B, which has carbohydrate binding activity. The molecular weight of the type II RIPs is ~60kDa. Type III RIPs – Besides the classical type II RIPs a 60kDa RIP (called JIP60) has been identified in barley (Hordeum vulgare) that consists of chain-A resembling type I RIPs linked to an unrelated chain-B with unknown function. In addition to these classes of RIPs there is another group of toxins called four subunit toxins, whose structure is almost similar to type II RIPs, but are made up of two such subunits linked by non-covalent interactions forming tetramers having two A- and two B-chains. The definition and classification of these toxins is not so clear as they are frequently referred to as agglutinins or lectins (e.g Abrus precatorius agglutinins I and II, Ricinus communis agglutinin etc.), having red blood cell (RBC) agglutinating activity. However they have been found to be less toxic and better agglutinins when compared with type II RIPs. The present thesis reports the crystal structure of a type II RIP, Abrus precatorius agglutinin-I (APA-I) from the seeds of Abrus precatorius plant. The protein was purified from the plant seed and crystallized. The crystal structure was solved by molecular replacement method. Preliminary crystals of abrus agglutinin were obtained almost thirty years ago and unsuccessful attempts to solve the crystal Structure of APA-I were made almost five years ago by other groups. The structure solution of API-I was obtained at 3.5 Å using synchrotron data set collected at room temperature from a single crystal. Crystal structure is already known for Abrin, another type II RIP isolated from the same seeds. Abrin and APA-I have similar therapeutic indices for the treatment of experimental mice with tumors, but APA-I has much lower toxicity, with lethal dose (LD50) being 5mg/kg of body weight when compared with Abrin-a (LD50 = 20 μg/kg of body weight). The striking difference in the toxicity shown by Abrin and its agglutinin (APA-I) encouraged us to look at the structure function relationship of these proteins, which might prove to be useful in the design and construction of immunotoxins. As apparent from the comparative study, the reduced toxicity of APA-I can be attributed to fewer interactions it can possibly have with the substrate due to the presence of Pro199 at the binding site and not due to any kink formed in the helix due to the presence of praline as reported by other groups. In recent years, these plant RIPs which inhibit protein synthesis have become a subject of intense investigation not only because of the possible role played by them in synthesizing immunotoxins that are used in cancer therapy but also because they serve as model system for studying the molecular mechanism of transmembrane translocation of proteins. In silico docking studies were carried out in search of inhibitors that could modulate the toxicity of RIPs. Many adenine like ringed compounds were studied in order to identify them as novel inhibitors of Abrin-a molecule and facilitate detailed analyis of protein ligand complex in various ways to ascertain their potential as ligands. In addition, the structural analysis of conformationally constrained, α β-dehydrophenylalanine containing dipeptides is carried out. While there are several studies of molecular self assembly of peptides containing coded amino acids, not much work has been done on molecular assembly formation utilizing non-coded amino acids. The non-coded amino acid used in the analysis is a member of α β-dehydroamino acids. These are the derivatives of protein amino acids with a double bond between Cα And Cβ atoms and are represented by a prefix symbol ‘Δ’. They are frequently found in natural peptides of microbial and fungal origins. The presence of α , β-dehydroamino acid residues in bioactive peptides confers altered bioactivity as well as an increased resistance to enzymatic degradation. Thus, α, β-dehydroamino acid residues, in particular α, β-dehydrophenylalaine(ΔPhe) has become one of the most promising residues in the study of structure-activity relationships of biologically important peptides. The utilization of in the molecular self assembly ΔPhe in the molecular self assembly offers in added benfit in terms of variey and stability. Taking advantage of the conformation constraining property of the ΔPhe residue, its incorporation in three dipeptide molecules has been probed. In this thesis the crystal structures of the following designed dipeptide are reported.(I). +H3N-Phe-ΔPhe-COO˙ (FΔF); (II). +H3N-Val-ΔPhe- COO˙ (VΔF); +H3N-Ala-ΔPhe-COO˙ (AΔF). The peptides were found to be in the zwitterionic conformation and two (I, II) of the three dipeptides have resulted in tubular structures of dimensions in the nanoscale range. Chapter 1 starts with a brief introduction of RIPs, their classification and overall fold, with Abrin-a as example. A brief mention is made about how the protein is translocated in the cell and the depurination mechanism. Chapter 2 presents the purification of APA-I from the seeds of Abrus precatorius plant, the crystallization of APA-I, X-ray intensity data collection on these crystals and processing of data sets for APA-I. Chapter 3 details the structure determination of tetramer Abrus precatorius agglutinin-I,(APA-I), using the molecular replacement method, iterative model building and refinement and the quality of final protein structure model. Chapter 4 details the crystal structure of Abrus precatorius agglutinin-I (APA-I), the comparison of primary and secondary structure of APA-I with Abrin-a and the structural insights into the reduced toxicity in relation to Abrin-a and future prospects. Chapter 5 deals with the in-silico modeling of Abrin-a inhibitors using the docking method. Abrin-a is being tested extensively for the design of therapeutic immunotoxins. Chapter 6 deals with the self-assembly of dipeptides containing conformationally constrained amino acid, α. β -dehydrophenylalanine (ΔF).

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Civil, Florianópolis, 2010 / Made available in DSpace on 2012-10-24T22:28:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 288258.pdf: 10616856 bytes, checksum: 401e88a5cd0cf78b21b2c7c8cea45774 (MD5) / Esta tese desenvolveu uma metodologia para avaliação e monitoramento de áreas de preservação permanente, (APP) e suas alterações na paisagem, ocasionadas por ocupações irregulares por meio de técnicas de Sensoriamento Remoto e geoprocessamento. Para tanto, foram definidos indicadores que alertam os órgãos públicos o momento de uma tomada de decisão e intervenção nestas áreas. Constituiu-se um sistema de suporte a decisão de planejamento urbano e ambiental de áreas de preservação permanente (APPs), ocupadas por assentamentos irregulares. Para obtenção desses indicadores usou-se a cartografia temática e o método de visualização de ortofotos que encontram no âmbito da gestão e lanejamento de áreas verdes de preservação a mais importante forma de documentar, viabilizando a prática do monitoramento das alterações de cunho ambiental. Para tanto, foi desenvolvido um método de controle cuja aplicação se deu no município de Florianópolis localizado no Estado de Santa Catarina que foi validado quando a obtenção dos resultados finais desta pesquisa. A cartografia temática aplicada à análise ambiental vem sendo alvo de estudos em diferentes partes do mundo. No entanto, nenhum desses estudos desenvolveu um método de controle e de monitoramento de áreas de preservação através de sua aplicação. Logo objetivou-se, com esta pesquisa, agregar conhecimento técnico científico para o planejamento e gestão de projetos que tragam parâmetros e elementos de controle as devastações de áreas de APP com ocupações irregulares alterando a paisagem, resultando ao seu final uma método único de controle destas áreas. / This thesis focus a evaluation and monitoring method for protected green areas (APP), and changes on landscape caused by unregular settlements using Remote Sensing and geoprocessing strategies. Then, this research defined indicators that can be used for decision makers to intervening on these areas. Using this environmental and urban planning support system is possible to plan and conserve protected greend areas in urban centers that are occupied by irregular settlements. Using cartographical technics and visualization of ortopictures was possible to define the adequated indicators to monitoring environmental changes.These system uses thematic cartography to document urban protected green areas management. This documentation permits monitoring processes. This system was applied on Florianópolis municipality, in Santa Catarina state. This kind of research was done in several parts of the world but not to monitoring protected green areas. This research focuses aggregate knowledge to management projects to avoid degradation on protected green areas in urban spaces bringing parameters and elements to control the environmental impacts.

A colonização da fronteira agrícola amazônica no estado de Rondônia foi acelerada nas décadas de 1960 e 1970. Este movimento favoreceu a consolidação da modernização da agricultura, processo pelo qual passava o sul e o sudeste do país. A agricultura praticada por milhares de migrantes, consistiu em derrubar e queimar a floresta que existia, deixando a região com um grande passivo ambiental em decorrência das práticas predatórias. Os movimentos sociais rurais juntamente com o apoio da igreja católica inseriram nas comunidades o debate da diversificação produtiva como alternativa ao sistema de monocultivos que se implantava na região. Com este cenário foi criada a Associação dos Produtores Alternativos em Ouro Preto do Oeste, que teve um trabalho diferenciado para a promoção da agricultura familiar e ecológica dentro do estado, vindo a encerrar as atividades em 2007. Utilizando-se do arcabouço teórico-metodológico da Perspectiva Orientada aos Atores este trabalho apresenta a problemática da agricultura na região amazônica numa perspectiva de construção da transição agroecológica para o estado de Rondônia. Procurou-se resgatar a dinâmica de colonização da região central do estado de Rondônia e o histórico de ação da APA, identificando as mudanças nas práticas e sistemas de produção dos modelos de agricultura, construindo uma análise para as políticas públicas de desenvolvimento rural socioambiental em voga. Para isso fez-se uso de técnicas de coletas de dados com entrevistas semi-estruturadas, da observação livre e do diário de campo. A análise dos dados coletados apontou para a consolidação de uma agricultura ecológica na região, sobretudo aquela encontrada no campesinato que tem por principal característica a resistência aos Impérios Alimentares. Conclui-se também que políticas públicas como o PAA, PRONAF, PAIS e PROAMBIENTE, agem de maneira diferenciada a partir da tomada de consciência e disputa pelo poder dos atores. / The colonization of the agricultural frontier in the Amazonian state of Rondônia was accelerated in the years 1960s and 1970s. This movement encouraged the consolidation of the modernization of agriculture, a process observed in south and southeast of Brazil. The agriculture practiced by thousands of migrants, consisted of cutting down and burning the forest that existed, leaving the region with a large environmental passive as a result of predation practices. The rural social movements along with the support of the Catholic Church inserted in the communities debate diversification of production as an alternative to the system of monocultures, which was implanted in the region. Under this scenario was created the Association of Alternative Producers in Ouro Preto do Oeste, who had a unique work to promote family farming and ecological within the state, that has been shut down in 2007. Using the theoretical and methodological Actor Oriented Perspective this paper presents the problems of agriculture in the Amazon region with a view to building the agroecological transition to the state of Rondônia. We tried to rescue the dynamics of colonization of the central region of Rondônia State and the history of action of APA, identifing changes in agricultural practices and production systems in models of agriculture, building an analysis for public policy environmental development in vogue. For this was made use of techniques data collection with semi-structured interviews, free observation, and the field notes. The analysis of the collected data pointed to the consolidation of ecological agriculture in the region especially that found in the peasantry whose main characteristic is this resistance to empires Food. It also appears that public policies such as PAA, PRONAF, PAIS and PROAMBIENTE, act differently from the awareness and power struggles of the actors.

Unidades de conservação da natureza sofrem historicamente de problemas envolvendo, por exemplo, administração pública e legitimação popular, o que reflete quadros de ineficiência e conflitos locais em vários níveis. Nesse contexto, a Área de Proteção Ambiental de Petrópolis (APA Petrópolis) é abordada, com o objetivo de se prover um quadro analítico sobre a sustentabilidade regional e a percepção popular acerca da proposta de da APA Petrópolis, usando métodos em percepção ambiental focada nos segmentos universitários. A tese se divide em três momentos analíticos: primeiramente, são apresentados os contextos históricos, sociais e políticos locais da paisagem, no âmbito da criação da APA Petrópolis e das contradições acerca do funcionamento do modelo, sob um referencial teórico que engloba políticas locais, manejo de unidades de conservação, conflitos ambientais e participação social. Em segundo lugar, analisou-se a percepção ambiental de 606 alunos universitários (por meio de questionários) e sete professores e gestores das universidades participantes (por meio de entrevistas) na APA Petrópolis, buscando fenômenos e características específicas das subjetividades inerentes a tais grupos. Por fim, apresenta-se concepções úteis para a organização de alternativas teóricas e práticas para uma educação ambiental emancipatória e transformadora voltada para a realidade dos segmentos universitários da APA Petrópolis. Os resultados envolvem a exposição de um complexo contexto histórico e político que traduz a parca funcionalidade deste modelo de conservação da paisagem. O planejamento territorial da cidade, o próprio contexto de criação da unidade e o cenário político regional são aspectos que contribuem para a baixa funcionalidade da APA. Os questionários evidenciam uma percepção superficial dos problemas ambientais de Petrópolis, assim como um baixo reconhecimento da APA. As entrevistas, de outra maneira, evidenciam dois fenômenos: a naturalização das questões sociais e a invisibilização das questões ambientais. As alternativas teóricas e metodológicas apresentadas para abordar as questões ambientais da APA Petrópolis para os universitários envolvem o conceito de alfabetização ecológica e a formação de sujeitos ecológicos, como diretrizes para uma educação voltada para a sustentabilidade regional. / Nature conservation areas historically suffer with problems involving, for example, public administration and popular legitimacy, which reflects inefficiency boards and local conflicts at various levels. In this context, the Environmental Protection Area of Petrópolis (APA Petrópolis) is approached with the aim of providing an analytical framework on regional sustainability and the popular perception about the proposed APA Petrópolis, using methods in environmental perception focusing on university segments. The thesis is divided into three analytical moments: first, we present the historical, social and local political contexts of landscape, in the aim of the creation of APA Petrópolis and contradictions regarding the model, under a theoretical framework that includes local policies, management of conservation units, environmental conflicts and social participation. Second, we analyzed the environmental perception of 606 college students (through questionnaires) and seven teachers and administrators at the participating universities (through interviews) in APA Petrópolis, seeking phenomena and characteristics of subjectivity inherent in such groups. Finally, we present useful concepts to the organization of theoretical and practical alternatives to an environmental education aimed to the emancipation and reality transformation to the university segments at APA Petrópolis. The results involving the exposure of a complex historical and political context that reflects the low functioning of this model of landscape conservation. The territorial planning of the city, the establishment context for the APA, and the regional political scene are aspects that contribute to the low functionality of the APA. The questionnaires showed a superficial perception of the environmental problems of Petropolis, as well as a low recognition of the APA. Interviews, otherwise, show two phenomena: the naturalization of social issues and invisibility of environmental issues. The theoretical and methodological alternatives presented to address environmental issues to university in APA Petrópolis involve the concept of ecological literacy and training of ecological subjects, such as guidelines for an education directed to regional sustainability.

Submitted by Fernanda Chinaque (fernanda.chinaque@gmail.com) on 2017-11-06T16:53:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_versão-final.pdf: 4225803 bytes, checksum: db787ccbc9783b70850c3b20f8172504 (MD5) / Rejected by Milena Rubi ( ri.bso@ufscar.br), reason: Boa tarde Fernanda! Você deve submeter juntamente com a dissertação, a carta comprovante devidamente preenchida e assinada pelo seu orientador. O modelo de carta encontra-se disponível na página inicial do Repositório Institucional. Att., Milena P. Rubi Bibliotecária CRB8-6635 Biblioteca Campus Sorocaba (B-So) on 2017-11-06T17:09:30Z (GMT) / Submitted by Fernanda Chinaque (fernanda.chinaque@gmail.com) on 2017-11-21T19:40:38Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação_versão-final.pdf: 4225803 bytes, checksum: db787ccbc9783b70850c3b20f8172504 (MD5) versao final - comprovante.pdf: 110341 bytes, checksum: e82e60a8ab39274e40b9e2e4be2dc1c5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi ( ri.bso@ufscar.br) on 2017-11-22T14:02:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação_versão-final.pdf: 4225803 bytes, checksum: db787ccbc9783b70850c3b20f8172504 (MD5) versao final - comprovante.pdf: 110341 bytes, checksum: e82e60a8ab39274e40b9e2e4be2dc1c5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi ( ri.bso@ufscar.br) on 2017-11-22T14:02:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação_versão-final.pdf: 4225803 bytes, checksum: db787ccbc9783b70850c3b20f8172504 (MD5) versao final - comprovante.pdf: 110341 bytes, checksum: e82e60a8ab39274e40b9e2e4be2dc1c5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-22T14:02:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação_versão-final.pdf: 4225803 bytes, checksum: db787ccbc9783b70850c3b20f8172504 (MD5) versao final - comprovante.pdf: 110341 bytes, checksum: e82e60a8ab39274e40b9e2e4be2dc1c5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-10-04 / Não recebi financiamento / This work seeks to better understand the challenges in the management processes of the Environmental Protection Areas. For this, Itupararanga’s Protected Area was used as a case study. As a source of data, was analyzed the Annual Water Quality Reports of the Itupararanga Dam, satellite images showing the real situation of land use and occupation, as well as Technical Opinions of environmental licensing processes of residential settlements that were established, or intend to settle in the study area. The results showed that environmental quality has declined over the years: the environmental quality of the water is declining and the native vegetation areas have been significantly replaced by agricultural and urban areas, results that do not match the objectives established in the APA Management Plan. A plausible explanation for such results is the minimization of the power of the Managing Boards in the environmental licensing processes, because they are only advisory and not deliberative. It is concluded that from the point of view of substantive effectiveness, the APA is not being effective, although the Management Council is active and of technical knowledge / Este trabalho busca compreender melhor os desafios nos processos de gestão das Áreas de Proteção Ambiental. Para isso, utilizou-se a APA de Itupararanga como estudo de caso. Como fonte de dados, foram analisados os Relatórios anuais de qualidade das águas da Represa de Itupararanga, imagens de satélite que mostram a real situação do uso e ocupação do solo, bem como Pareceres Técnicos de processos de licenciamento ambiental de loteamentos residências que se estabeleceram, ou pretendem se estabelecer na área de estudo. Os resultados demonstraram que a qualidade ambiental sofreu queda ao longo dos anos: a qualidade ambiental das águas está decaindo e as áreas de vegetação nativa foram significativamente substituídas por áreas agrícolas e urbanas, resultados que não condizem com os objetivos estabelecidos no Plano de Manejo da APA. Uma explicação plausível a tais resultados é a minimização do poder dos Conselhos Gestores nos processos de licenciamentos ambientais, por terem apenas caráter consultivo e não deliberativo. Conclui-se que do ponto de vista da efetividade substantiva, a APA não está sendo efetiva, entretanto o Conselho Gestor mostra-se ativo e de conhecimento técnico.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-13T17:08:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JonasRS_DISSERT.pdf: 3855640 bytes, checksum: 7f71c8f901f81d6604b2c75dddbae414 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-25 / This study had to aimed to characterize the sediments of shallow continental shelf and realize the mapping of features visible for satellite images by using remote sensing techniques, digital image processing and analysis of bathymetry between Maxaranguape and Touros - RN. The study s area is located in the continental shallow shelf of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and is part of the Environmental Protection Area (APA) of Coral Reefs. A total of 1186 sediment samples were collected using a dredge type van veen and positioning of the vessel was made out with the aid of a Garmin 520s. The samples were treated In the laboratory to analyze particle size of the sediment, concentration of calcium carbonate and biogenic composition. The digital images from the Landsat-5 TM were used to mapping of features. This stage was used the band 1 (0,45-1,52 ?m) where the image were georeferenced, and then adjusting the histogram, giving a better view of feature bottom and contacts between different types of bottom. The results obtained from analysis of the sediment showed that the sediments of the continental shelf east of RN have a dominance of carbonate facies and a sand-gravelly bottom because the region is dominated by biogenic sediments, that are made mainly of calcareous algae. The bedform types identified and morphological features found were validated by bathymetric data and sediment samples examined. From the results obtained a division for the shelf under study is suggested, these regions being subdivided, in well characterized: (1) Turbid Zone, (2) Coral Patch Reefs Zone, (3) Mixed Sediments Carbonates Zone, ( 4) Algae Fouling Zone, (5) Alignment Rocky Zone, (6) Sand Waves Field (7) Deposit siliciclastic sands / O presente trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar os sedimentos da plataforma continental rasa e realizar o mapeamento das fei??es vis?veis por imagens de sat?lite, utilizando t?cnicas de sensoriamento remoto, processamento digital de imagens e an?lise batim?trica entre Maxaranguape e Touros RN. A ?rea de estudo est? localizada no segmento de transi??o entre a por??o oriental e a setentrional da plataforma continental do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil, e est? inserida na ?rea de Prote??o Ambiental (APA) dos Recifes de Corais. Um total de 1186 amostras de sedimento foram coletadas usando uma draga do tipo Van Veen e o posicionamento da embarca??o foi realizado com o aux?lio de um GPS Garmin 520s. Em laborat?rio, as amostras foram tratadas para realizar a an?lise granulom?trica, concentra??o do teor de carbonato de c?lcio e composi??o biog?nica. Para o mapeamento das fei??es foram utilizadas as imagens digitais do Landsat 5-TM (orbita 214/064 de 07 de agosto de 2005). Foi utilizada a banda 1 (0,45-1,52 ?m), sendo realizada a corre??o geom?trica, e posteriormente o ajuste do histograma, gerando uma melhor visualiza??o das fei??es de fundo e os contatos entre os diferentes tipos de fundo. A partir dos resultados obtidos da an?lise dos sedimentos verificou-se que os sedimentos da plataforma continental oriental do RN apresenta uma domin?ncia da f?cies carbon?tica e de um fundo areno-cascalhoso em fun??o da regi?o ser dominada por sedimentos biog?nicos, que s?o constitu?dos principalmente por algas calc?rias. As fei??es morfol?gicas de fundo encontradas foram validadas atrav?s de dados batim?tricos e amostras de sedimentos analisadas. A partir dos resultados obtidos uma divis?o apropriada para a plataforma em estudo ? sugerida, sendo estas regi?es subdividas, em zonas bem caracterizadas: (1) Zona T?rbida, (2) Zona de Bancos Recifais, (3) Zona de Sedimentos Carbon?ticos Mistos, (4) Zona de Algas Incrustantes, (5) Zona de Alinhamentos Rochosos, (6) Campo de dunas Submersas e (7) Dep?sito Areias Silicicl?sticas.

Unidades de conservação da natureza sofrem historicamente de problemas envolvendo, por exemplo, administração pública e legitimação popular, o que reflete quadros de ineficiência e conflitos locais em vários níveis. Nesse contexto, a Área de Proteção Ambiental de Petrópolis (APA Petrópolis) é abordada, com o objetivo de se prover um quadro analítico sobre a sustentabilidade regional e a percepção popular acerca da proposta de da APA Petrópolis, usando métodos em percepção ambiental focada nos segmentos universitários. A tese se divide em três momentos analíticos: primeiramente, são apresentados os contextos históricos, sociais e políticos locais da paisagem, no âmbito da criação da APA Petrópolis e das contradições acerca do funcionamento do modelo, sob um referencial teórico que engloba políticas locais, manejo de unidades de conservação, conflitos ambientais e participação social. Em segundo lugar, analisou-se a percepção ambiental de 606 alunos universitários (por meio de questionários) e sete professores e gestores das universidades participantes (por meio de entrevistas) na APA Petrópolis, buscando fenômenos e características específicas das subjetividades inerentes a tais grupos. Por fim, apresenta-se concepções úteis para a organização de alternativas teóricas e práticas para uma educação ambiental emancipatória e transformadora voltada para a realidade dos segmentos universitários da APA Petrópolis. Os resultados envolvem a exposição de um complexo contexto histórico e político que traduz a parca funcionalidade deste modelo de conservação da paisagem. O planejamento territorial da cidade, o próprio contexto de criação da unidade e o cenário político regional são aspectos que contribuem para a baixa funcionalidade da APA. Os questionários evidenciam uma percepção superficial dos problemas ambientais de Petrópolis, assim como um baixo reconhecimento da APA. As entrevistas, de outra maneira, evidenciam dois fenômenos: a naturalização das questões sociais e a invisibilização das questões ambientais. As alternativas teóricas e metodológicas apresentadas para abordar as questões ambientais da APA Petrópolis para os universitários envolvem o conceito de alfabetização ecológica e a formação de sujeitos ecológicos, como diretrizes para uma educação voltada para a sustentabilidade regional. / Nature conservation areas historically suffer with problems involving, for example, public administration and popular legitimacy, which reflects inefficiency boards and local conflicts at various levels. In this context, the Environmental Protection Area of Petrópolis (APA Petrópolis) is approached with the aim of providing an analytical framework on regional sustainability and the popular perception about the proposed APA Petrópolis, using methods in environmental perception focusing on university segments. The thesis is divided into three analytical moments: first, we present the historical, social and local political contexts of landscape, in the aim of the creation of APA Petrópolis and contradictions regarding the model, under a theoretical framework that includes local policies, management of conservation units, environmental conflicts and social participation. Second, we analyzed the environmental perception of 606 college students (through questionnaires) and seven teachers and administrators at the participating universities (through interviews) in APA Petrópolis, seeking phenomena and characteristics of subjectivity inherent in such groups. Finally, we present useful concepts to the organization of theoretical and practical alternatives to an environmental education aimed to the emancipation and reality transformation to the university segments at APA Petrópolis. The results involving the exposure of a complex historical and political context that reflects the low functioning of this model of landscape conservation. The territorial planning of the city, the establishment context for the APA, and the regional political scene are aspects that contribute to the low functionality of the APA. The questionnaires showed a superficial perception of the environmental problems of Petropolis, as well as a low recognition of the APA. Interviews, otherwise, show two phenomena: the naturalization of social issues and invisibility of environmental issues. The theoretical and methodological alternatives presented to address environmental issues to university in APA Petrópolis involve the concept of ecological literacy and training of ecological subjects, such as guidelines for an education directed to regional sustainability.