State ofMinas Gerais Research Articles

Taphonomy and paleohistology of a dinosaur rib from Marília Formation, Bauru Group, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The Bauru Group (Campanian–Maastrichtian) has one of the richest fossil records of Cretaceous in South America. All dinosaur fossils from this unit were assigned to Saurischia, most of them poorly preserved. We present the histological and taphonomic analysis of a dinosaur dorsal rib fragment from the Marília Formation in the western state of Minas Gerais. Thin sections were prepared to describe the microstructures of the bone tissue and the fossilization processes involved in preserving the specimen. An elemental analysis was also performed to verify the chemical composition of the fossil and rock matrix. Haversian bone was identified in the rib cortex, and no growth marks or an external fundamental system were found. The rib probably belonged to a saurischian dinosaur because of its plank shape and elliptical cross-section. Hypotheses regarding taphonomic processes were inferred. An extended period of subaerial exposure, followed by high-energy transport, was interpreted due to extensive fractures and signs of abrasion on the outer surface of the bone. Pyrite pseudomorphs (framboids) indicate that the bone was deposited in a reductive environment. After burial, the rapid precipitation of calcite and alkaline stability allowed the preservation of apatite during the recrystallization phase. The manganese hydroxides were deposited on apatite crystals during early diagenesis. We concluded that the fossil rib presented a common taphonomic bias identified among vertebrate fossils of the Bauru Group, which is associated with the exposure of the bones to arid and semiarid climates, their transport into the depositional environments and pedogenetic influence during fossil diagenesis.

Exploring Irregularities in Brazilian Public Bids: An In-depth Analysis on Small Companies

In Brazil, bidding processes constitute the main method through which the Public Administration acquires goods and services, and they aim to select the best proposal between several bidding companies. Analyzing public bids can reveal several negotiating characteristics between companies and the public sector, including alerts of fraudulent activities involving such businesses. This article presents two approaches for detecting irregularities within small companies using data extracted from public bids in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. For each approach, we perform exploratory and geospatial analysis to better understand specific characteristics of the companies with irregularity alerts. Furthermore, we execute a network analysis to examine the underlying connections between such companies. Our findings reveal the efficacy of both approaches in indicating small companies that may be involved in fraudulent activities. Our methodology and results represent a significant advance for the public sector as they have the potential to enhance mechanisms for overseeing and preventing fraud within bidding processes. 

Anthropometric parameters in metabolic syndrome in brazilian adolescents: confirmatory factor analysis

This study aims to identify the influence of anthropometric variables on the patterns of clustering of metabolic and hemodynamic variables in the metabolic syndrome in adolescents, being an epidemiological, cross-sectional, analytical study conducted with 635 adolescents from public schools in the municipality of Montes Claros, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: the metabolic, hemodynamic and anthropometric parameters were evaluated and the data analysis was processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows software. Results: three diferente models stratified by gender were adjusted that were estimated through Confirmatory Factor Analysis by the maximum likelihood method implemented in the IBM SPSS AMOS 23.0 software. Conclusion: The profile found could contribute to the consolidation of the SM construct, allowing early identification and favoring the creation of strategies to prevent this disease, avoiding adverse clinical outcomes.

Promoting safe and appropriate use of miltefosine to treat tegumentary leishmaniasis in Brazil: A best practice quality improvement project.

Miltefosine is a new drug that was recently approved for the treatment of tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) by the Brazilian health system. It has a teratogenic potential and requires follow-up of patients undergoing treatment. Improving compliance with best practices is essential to ensure the safe and appropriate use of this drug. This project aimed to implement best practices for the safe and appropriate use of miltefosine in the treatment of TL in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This project was guided by the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework. Five best practice criteria were established based on the best available evidence. A baseline audit was conducted to measure current practice against best practice. Barriers to best practice were then identified and a follow-up audit was conducted to evaluate changes after the implementation of improvement strategies. Two sites were analyzed: a leishmaniasis reference service in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, and the 28 regional offices. The baseline audit evaluated data from 197 miltefosine requests distributed across 13 regional sites. All requests from the reference service were compliant (100%). This is in contrast to the 60% compliance rate at the regional offices. The improvement strategies included intensifying direct communication with the regional health professionals, which increased the average compliance rate to 79.5%, 6 months after the interventions were introduced. This best practice implementation project effectively increased the compliance rate for the audited procedures. Communication from the reference site with the regional health professionals successfully increased compliance with best practices and promoted the safe and appropriate use of miltefosine. These strategies should analyzed and applied to improve other programs. http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A184.

When to switch from pasture to compost barn? An economic analy-sis of four scenarios in Minas Gerais, Brazil

In Brazil, producers are migrating from pasture production systems to compost barns in search of greater profitability. These decisions are taken without an analysis of the cost, economic feasibility, and risks involved in this change. Our study investigates the economic feasibility and risk of implementing the compost barn system and compares it to pasture production in the state of Minas Gerais’ southern region. Four scenarios were developed using data from literature and a panel of experts. They inform the production margin, the evaluated production system, investment data, revenue data and cost data. The scenarios were evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulation model. All scenarios had negative minimum values for NPV and IRR, indicating the probability of not being economically viable and demonstrating the risks involved in the dairy activity. However, scenarios 2 (Pasture, from 501 to 1,000 liters/day) and 4 (Compost Barn, from 1,000 to 2,000 liters/day) had positive means for NPV, with the highest probability of occurring values greater than zero. The analysis of the IRR result reinforces the better performance presented by scenarios 2 and 4, with greater probabilities of positive return and, consequently, lower risk. Scenarios 1 (Pasture, up to 500 liters/day) and 3 (Compost Barn, from 501 to 1,000 liters/day) can be discarded by the producer as an investment alternative.

Validation of the MGB-IPH hydrological model for flows simulation in paired watershed in minas gerais, Brazil.

Simulating hydrological behavior makes it possible to analyze and predict water availability in river basins, anticipate potential events and carry out quantitative water balances using various scenarios. These scenarios arise from changes in land use and landscape over the years, the occurrence of extreme events and the effects of climate change. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Large Basin Hydrological Model (MGB-IPH) for representing rainfall-runoff in the paired watershed of the Piracicaba River and Piranga River in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, using the usual calibration and validation procedures. The results of the average statistical performance indices NASH, NASH-Log, BIAS, R², D and Dr showed that the model was able to simulate the seasonality of the watersheds and presented good adjustments, with a tendency to overerestimate the flow, but within acceptable limits. It is concluded that the model performed satisfactorily in its ability to simulate the hydrological behaviour of the Piracicaba River and Piranga River watersheds, despite its limitations and the lack of input data, making it an applicable tool in local contexts.

Description of nine new species of the Neotropical spider genus Epicratinus Jocqué & Baert, 2005 (Araneae: Zodariidae) from Brazil

Nine new species of the Neotropical spider genus Epicratinus Jocqué & Baert, 2005 are described. Epicratinus includes now 25 species, all with male and female descriptions. An identification key for all species of the genus and maps for new species. The following nine new species are described: E. yoda sp. nov. from the state of Alagoas, Bahia, Paraíba and Pernambuco; E. temuerai sp. nov. from the state of Bahia and Mato Grosso; E. arlequina sp. nov. and E. maozinha sp. nov. from the state of Minas Gerais; E. leia sp. nov., E. baraka sp. nov. and E. smeagol sp. nov. from the state of Bahia; E. raiden sp. nov. from the state of Mato Grosso; E. luke sp. nov. from the state of Espírito Santo, all from Brazil.  

Articulation Between Collective Skills Development and Social Innovation: An Analysis in Non-Profit Civil Society Organizations in the Jequitinhonha nd Mucuri Valleys, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Objective: This study aims to analyze the relationship between the development of collective skills and social innovation in Non-Profit Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) located in the Middle and Lower Jequitinhonha and the Mucuri Valley, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
  
 Theoretical Benchmark: Theoretical approaches to CSOs, social innovation and collective skills were carried out.
  
 Method: To do so, the application of online survey and in-depth case studies in OSC of the said field was carried out. The data from the first stage were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and multiple linear regression, and those from the qualitative stage were analyzed via content analysis.
  
 Results and Conclusion: The results indicated that some of the CSOs studied carry out actions considered as socially innovative and that the collective competences related to cooperation are those that have a significant influence on social innovation. In addition, it was observed that the CSOs studied, by engaging in socially innovative actions, created spaces and conditions conducive to the development of collective skills, enabling social interactions, which are fundamental for cooperation, knowledge sharing and social learning of those involved. Thus, there is a dialectical relationship between the collective skills constructs and social innovation, the development of some of them may reflect in a virtuous cycle in which the practice impacts on collective capacity development and this development in the improvement of new practices, or vice versa.
  
 Research Implications: The findings emphasize the need for university extension practices and interventions that facilitate cooperation practices, as well as the sharing of knowledge and commitment in the context of CSOs, which can contribute more effectively in the search for the development of socially innovative actions.
  
 Originality/value: This study presents an original and valuable approach when analyzing the relationships between collective skills development and social innovations in CSOs, revealing significant insights on good practices in this field.

Unveiling ochratoxin A and ochratoxigenic fungi in Brazilian artisanal Cheeses: Insights from production to consumption

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a toxin produced by several Aspergillus species, mainly those belonging to section Circumdati and section Nigri. The presence of OTA in cheese has been reported recently in cave cheese in Italy. As artisanal cheese production in Brazil has increased, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of ochratoxin A and related fungi in artisanal cheese consumed in Brazil.A total of 130 samples of artisanal cheeses with natural moldy rind at different periods of maturation were collected. Of this total, 79 samples were collected from 6 producers from Canastra region in the state of Minas Gerais, since this is the largest artisanal cheese producer region; 13 samples from one producer in the Amparo region in the state of São Paulo and 36 samples from markets located in these 2 states. Aspergillus section Circumdati occurred in samples of three producers and some samples from the markets. A. section Circumdati colony counts varied from 102 to 106 CFU/g. Molecular analysis revealed Aspergillus westerdijkiae (67 %) as the most frequent species, followed by Aspergillus ostianus (22 %), and Aspergillus steynii (11 %). All of these isolates of A. section Circumdati were able to produce OTA in Yeast Extract Sucrose Agar (YESA) at 25 °C/7 days. OTA was found in 22 % of the artisanal cheese samples, ranging from 1.0 to above 1000 µg/kg, but only five samples had OTA higher than 1000 µg/kg. These findings emphasize the significance of ongoing monitoring and quality control in the artisanal cheese production process to minimize potential health risks linked to OTA contamination.

Standards, territory and frontier: environmental policy and the expansion of mining in Minas Gerais

This article aims to debate the environmental policy in the state of Minas Gerais based on observing the standards adopted and the territorial reflexes, highlighting how the relaxing the environmental licensing processes over the past few years has influenced the expansion of the frontier of mining activities to different mesoregions of Minas Gerais. Based on a literature review, documentary research and data available in the System for Consultations and Decisions on Environmental Licensing Processes from the State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development (SEMAD) and in the Spatial Data Infrastructure (IDE) of the State Environmental System (SISEMA) The text initially characterizes the institutionalization of environmental policy in Minas Gerais, and then analyzes the recent changes in the state’s environmental licensing. Lastly, the territorial implications are indicated by the advance of the frontier of the mineral sector and the corporate mining territories. The analyzes on the changes in licensing and the expansion of the mineral sector in the state cover the period between 2013 and 2022.

Are Land Use and Cover Changes and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with the Occurrence of Dengue Fever? A Case Study in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Several studies have already demonstrated the relationship between the loss of natural habitats and the incidence of diseases caused by vectors, such as dengue, which is an acute fever disease that is considered a serious public health problem. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the number of dengue cases and land use and cover changes (LUCC) and socioeconomic and climatic factors by municipality, using the state of Minas Gerais as a case study. For this, secondary data obtained from openly available sources were used. Natural vegetation cover data were obtained from the MAPBiomas platform and dengue occurrence data from the Ministry of Health, in addition to eight socioeconomic parameters from the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics and precipitation data from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA, Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais). Between 2015 and 2019, 1,255,731 cases of dengue were recorded throughout the state of Minas Gerais, ranging from 0 to 227 per thousand inhabitants between municipalities. The occurrence of dengue was distributed throughout all regions of Minas Gerais and was associated with LUCC and socioeconomic factors. In general, municipalities with a net loss of natural vegetation, predominantly located in the Cerrado biome, had the highest number of dengue cases in the studied period. Additionally, the occurrence of dengue was associated to three socioeconomic parameters: population density, human development index (both positively), and Gini inequality index (negatively). These results indicate that, contrary to expectations, municipalities with better social conditions had more dengue cases. Our study indicates that natural vegetation is, directly or indirectly, involved in the ecosystem service of dengue control, despite the occurrence of this disease being affected by multiple factors that interact in a complex way. Thus, policies towards reducing deforestation must be complemented by a continuous investment in public health policies and a reduction in social inequalities to efficiently control dengue fever.

Improving freight parking needs in Brazilian cities with city logistics initiatives

The objective of this study is to analyze the demand for loading and unloading parking spaces in the Brazilian cities of São João Dei Rei and Itajubá, in the state of Minas Gerais, using freight trip generation models. The number of employees is used as an independent variable to generate the models. The results showed that the studied regions receive an average of 539 and 709 trips daily. This is problematic since currently available exclusive parking spaces for loading/unloading cover only 18% of the estimated demand in São João Del Rei and 34.5% in Itajubá. Based on these results, this study proposes new locations. It suggests City Logistics measures that could be used in conjunction with the allocation of new parking spots to reduce the demand for loading/unloading spaces.

Impact of a research-action on vaccination indicators in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Analyze the impact of the state research-action project on immunization indicators (vaccination coverage - VC, homogeneity of vaccination coverage - HVC, dropout rate - DR, and risk rating) before and after the intervention in municipalities and priority Regional Health Administrations/Regional Health Superintendencies (RHA/RHS). The state research-action project was a before-after community clinical trial conducted in 212 municipalities belonging to eight RHA/RHS in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study sample comprised RHA/RHS with a decreasing trend for routine vaccination coverage in children under one year from 2015 to 2020. This study used secondary VC and DR data from 10 immunobiologicals recommended for children younger than two years from January to December 2021 (pre-intervention period, prior to the state research-action project) and from January to December 2022 (post-intervention period). The categorical variables were presented in proportions, and initially, a comparison was made between those of DR, HVC, and the risk rating for the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases, according to the two periods (2021 and 2022), using the McNemar test. All immunization indicators increased after conducting the research-action project. In 2021, 80.66% of the state's municipalities had a risk rating for the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases as "high and very high." In 2022, the value reduced to 68.40%. Risk rating for the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases is an important mechanism to assist managers in defining priorities. The state research-action project used a method that enabled the construction and execution of unique action plans for each municipality, directing the improvement of immunization indicators in the state.

“We are right in the middle of them”: mining and the production of disasters

This article draws on the history of Mingú, a neighborhood located at the center of the activities of a long-standing mining company in Nova Lima, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and discusses the interrelation of the production of disasters over time with the formation of a socio-spatial group. The narrative is informed by fragments of everyday life that seek to highlight the trends and patterns of broader processes, and which resonate beyond the particular context presented. Three phases in the history of Mingú are analyzed, revealing the continuity between extractivism and neoextractivism and the notion that disasters are not restricted to natural events, isolated in time and space. In this historical process, the constitution of the group is understood by the way its everyday practices take place within an unstable context, permeated by expropriation and by the difficulty of socio-spatial consciousness and autonomy.

Geospatial-based decision support system for prioritizing road segments for maintenance and rehabilitation

Given the growing demand for moving goods and people and the escalating number of vehicles on highways, issues related to road safety have become common concerns. Additionally, the aging of the road infrastructure and the intensification of climatic change effects reinforce the problem of road pavement serviceability. However, accessing funds for road maintenance and having the autonomy for pure technical decisions remain significant challenges for transport authorities. Thus, this paper addresses developing a geospatial-based systematic process for prioritizing highway segment candidates for maintenance and rehabilitation. The investigation was designed to facilitate the decision-making process for the state transportation authority to allocate funds over the 20.315 km of major highways in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The method consisted of ranking the highway segments regarding the geographic context to which each segment belongs, as well as the operational characteristics of the highways. The approach meets the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by considering socio-economic and demographic perspectives along with other traditional engineering characteristics such as the available transport infrastructure, the traffic volume, the highway capacity, the pavement serviceability and the potential for deterioration, the condition of the surface drainage, and weather-related data. Transportation practitioners with expertise in pavement maintenance and rehabilitation and transportation managers contributed to the development by weighting the factors according to the best possible technical judgment regarding prioritizing funds. The GIS-oriented Delphi framework resulted in a priority index. The index allowed the elaboration of a ranking of priorities, which is vital information regarding public policies and the transparent use of public money for road maintenance and rehabilitation within the State of Minas Gerais. The model is robust and outputs geoinformation and tabular data to feed the decision-making process in an organized and transparent manner. Therefore, the core methodology can be easily transferable to other jurisdictions.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and rickettsiae associated with wild boars in a rural area of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Wild boars or feral pigs are classified by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Resources (IBAMA) in “Category I of invasive exotic species”. They cause economic losses, harm the environment, serve as hosts and reservoirs for several zoonotic disease agents, and provide a blood meal for tick species that act as vectors for zoonotic diseases. The objective of this study was to identify tick species on wild boars, assess host-seeking ticks in the related environment, and identify other potential tick hosts coexisting with wild boars on a farm located in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Additionally, the study aimed to determine the presence of rickettsiae in these arthropods and assess the exposure of wild boars to rickettsiae species from the Spotted Fever Group and Rickettsia bellii through serology. A total of 3585 host-seeking ticks from three species (Amblyomma sculptum – 41.58%; Amblyomma dubitatum – 0.39% and Rhipicephalus microplus – 0.05%) were collected in the environment and A. sculptum was the most abundant species. Thirty-one wild boars were evaluated, resulting in the collection of 415 ticks, all of which were A. sculptum. Rickettsia DNA was not detected in samples of A. sculptum and R. microplus from the environment or in A. sculptum ticks from wild boars. However, all A. dubitatum ticks (n = 14) had Rickettsia bellii DNA confirmed by the species-specific PCR protocol. Out of the 31 serum samples from wild boars, 24 reacted with at least one Rickettsia antigen. Among these, seven individuals exhibited a reaction to a probable homologous antigen (PHA) of three rickettsiae species: R. rickettsii (n = 3), R. amblyommatis (n = 3) and R. rhipicephali (n = 1). Despite the high prevalence of seroreactivity, titers were low, indicating limited exposure to Rickettsia spp. Camera traps generated 874 animal records, capturing a total of 1688 individuals. At least 11 species of birds and 14 species of mammals (12 wild and two domestic) shared the environment with wild boars and potentially shared ticks with them. These findings provide baseline information for understanding the sharing of ticks and tick-borne pathogens between wild boars and other animals within the Cerrado biome. Further studies are necessary to monitor the potential and actual risk of wild boars to harbor infected ticks and their role in the transmission and maintenance cycle of Rickettsia spp.

Natural responses of Neoproterozoic dynamic karst springs to rainfall events, São Miguel Watershed, Minas Gerais, Brazil

AbstractKarst aquifers consist of complex networks of conduits in which groundwater flows and recharge/discharge processes are generally more dynamic than in other types of aquifers. Due to their intrinsic heterogeneity and anisotropy, monitoring, quantifying, and analysing natural responses of karst springs is an efficient tool. Unlike Cenozoic and Mesozoic rocks, in Neoproterozoic karst systems, groundwater circulates and stores generally in dissolution features known as tertiary porosity, as the rock's primary porosity is recrystallized, considered negligible. This article studies the hydrodynamics of a karst portion of the São Miguel River basin, southwest of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The region is predominantly composed of Neoproterozoic carbonate rocks, dating from about 570 to 540 million years ago. During a hydrological year (2019–2020), three karst springs (S1, S2, and S3) were daily monitored through their natural responses (variations of electrical conductivity, EC, temperature, T, and discharge, Q) to rainfall episodes. The data were interpreted based on the analysis of spring hydrographs, time series, recession curves (seasonal and intra‐annual), and statistics of EC, T, and Q variations. The results show the three springs generally exhibit quick flow, typically karstic, in the case of hydrosystems with a well‐structured and functional underground drainage network. The time series indicate the hydrosystem drained by S1 presents slower circulation and a lower degree of linearity, resulting from the higher sinuosity of the system, while the hydrosystems of S2 and S3 have similar behaviours, of quick water circulations immediately after a rainy episode. The degrees of karstification classify S1 and S2 as complex and extensive karst systems consisting of several subsystems, and S3 as a system in which the conduit network is more developed at the upper epiphreatic zone than near the outlet.

Applying formal concept analysis to characterize infant mortality

Infant mortality is characterized by the death of children under one year of age, a problem that affects a large part of the world’s population. In this context, we applied Formal Concept Analysis (FCA), a mathematical technique used in data analysis, to characterize infant mortality in two regions of the state of Minas Gerais: Belo Horizonte and Vale do Jequitinhonha. The aim is to describe infant mortality through data sets from the SIM and SINASC repositories. With FCA, concepts and rules that determine the main factors that contribute to infant mortality were extracted. Three scenarios were created for analysis. The first pointing out that weight, gestation, and APGAR are determinants for the child’s survival. In the second neonatal periods were used indicating that mortality, in the scenario where the child is born with low weight and early gestation, is higher than in the post-neonatal period. The third scenario was analyzed based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) indicating factors for mortality such as conditions and malformations in the post-neonatal period. The results reveal associations between different variables, allowing the profile of infant mortality to be traced in each region.

An overview of wastewater treatment technologies in Minas Gerais, Brazil: predominance of anaerobic reactors

Abstract The deficit in sewage collection and treatment is a problem in Brazil, and a large portion of untreated sewage, usually disposed of directly into water bodies, compromises water quality, with implications for public health and environmental balance. This scenario does not differ in the State of Minas Gerais, where only 44% of the urban population has their sewage treated. This study aimed to evaluate the current use of wastewater treatment technologies in active wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Minas Gerais, based on a database from the Sewage Atlas, and analyze how the characteristics of the municipality and the treatment system influence the selection of adopted technologies. Information on 376 active WWTPs and 26 WWTPs designed or under construction was obtained. The most used technologies include upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, with or without post-treatment, adopted in more than 70% of WWTPs. A logistic regression model was fitted to explain the presence of post-treatment UASB reactors in the municipality. The model showed that the chance of implementing this technology is 3.3 times greater for municipal autarchies and 7.1 times greater for public companies compared to municipal governments.

Attractiveness of municipalities in Minas Gerais for the installation of forest-based companies

This paper measured the attractiveness of municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais (MG) for projects in the steel, cellulose and paper, furniture, energy and wood panel industry segments. A questionnaire was used to construct an index of attractiveness of the forestry sector for each municipality. As a result, it was found that 40% of the municipalities presented “average” or higher attractiveness. The mesoregions with the greatest potential for forestry development were the Metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Southwest of Minas and Zona da Mata. The steel and cellulose and paper segments found attractive factors in 74.08% and 72.79% of the municipalities, respectively. It was concluded that the methodology applied showed how close a location was to meeting the characteristics of forest-based industries. It is expected to encourage future research and influence strategic planning for the expansion of the forestry sector across the country.