Resumen Los paragangliomas corresponden a tumores de origen neuroendocrino de las células cromafines en los paraganglios del sistema nervioso simpático o parasimpático, particularmente localizados en la laringe. Son extremadamente raros, representan menos del 0.6% de los tumores de laringe. La mayoría son esporádicos, aunque el 40% puede tener una ocurrencia familiar. Los síntomas dependen del tamaño y generalmente incluyen disfonía, disfagia o sensación de cuerpo extraño. El diagnóstico se establece por laringoscopia y tomografía computarizada, observándose masas de tejidos blandos de contornos bien definidos, sumado a la confirmación histológica por la presencia de células madre en configuración Zell Balen e inmunohistoquímica con cromogranina y proteína S100.

Abstract Paragangliomas correspond to tumors of neuroendocrine origin of chromaffin cells in the paraganglia of the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system, particularly those located in the larynx being extremely rare, contributing to < 0.6% of laryngeal tumors. Most are sporadic, although 40% may have a familial occurrence. Symptoms depend on size, generally including dysphonia, dysphagia, or a foreign body sensation. The diagnosis is established by laryngoscopy and CT, observing soft-tissue masses with well-defined contours, coupled with histological confirmation by the presence of stem cells in a "Zell Balen" configuration, and immunohistochemistry with chromogranin and S100 protein.

First-generation methods used to quantify HDL-cholesterol have been used for decades. Therefore, first-generation precipitatingreagents still in use, the chemical impact on HDL-particles functionality (structure/activity-relationship) is not well-documented. The study aim was to identify the most efficient precipitating-reagent for lipoprotein separation to be used in the HDL functionalevaluation. A cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was conducted. Plasma samples from 40 individuals, both genders, were evaluated. Biochemical analysis was performed after using different chemical precipitants (e.g. polyethylene glycol - PEG (P1), phosphotungstic-acid (P2), and dextran-sulfate/MgCl2 (P3)) to evaluate HDL-particle-size and PON1-activity. Parametric and non-parametric tests were performed using GraphPad-Prism 5.01 (USA). Differences were considered significant when a p-value < 0.05 were obtained. The PON1-activity comparison differed after NaCl stimulation (p < 0.001, paired t-test) and among chemical precipitant treatments. The PON1-activity differed after sample precipitation with P1 when compared to P2, and P3 (p < 0.05; ANOVA), before and after stratification for dyslipidemia group. The HDL particle-size comparison did not differ, but on the other hand, polydispersity differed after sample precipitation with P3 when compared to P1 or P2 (p < 0.05; ANOVA). Dextran- Sulfate/MgCl2 was a better chemical precipitant for PON1-activity, and PEG for HDL-particle-size, respectively. The HDL functional

RESUMO A compreensão do comportamento hidrológico e da distribuição da vegetação em um ambiente semiárido é fundamental para o desenvolvimento de técnicas e estratégias para a convivência com as secas. Objetivou-se com esse trabalho, quantificar o particionamento da precipitação pela vegetação caracterizada como Mata Atlântica Nordestina bem como suas relações com as características da precipitação. O estudo foi desenvolvido na Bacia da Bica, em Portalegre - RN. O trabalho foi realizado durante o ano de 2017, foram monitorados a precipitação interna, escoamento pelos caules das árvores e perda por interceptação em uma área de 10 x 20 m. Com o auxílio de uma estação meteorológica realizou-se as medidas da precipitação pluvial (PPT) e a velocidade do vento e estimada a evapotranspiração (ETo). Com base nessas informações, calculou-se a intensidade (I) de cada evento, energia cinética (EC) e as intensidades em intervalos de 5, 10, 20, 30, 45 e 60 min (I5, I10, I15, I20, I30, I45 e I60 respectivamente). No período de estudo foram registrados 20 eventos de chuvas. A vegetação reteve 44,9% da precipitação do total, enquanto 52,9% contribuiu com a precipitação interna e 2,2% escoou pelos troncos. Com o auxílio de Análises das Componentes Principais, foram formadas três Componentes Principais (CP) explicando mais de 84% da variância total. Nas CP1, CP2 e CP3 foram enquadradas, respectivamente, variáveis relacionadas ao poder energético da chuva em ultrapassar a barreira física da vegetação, fluxo de entrada e saída e variáveis que mudam de acordo com o tempo de duração da chuva.

ABSTRACT Information on hydrology, and vegetation distribution is essential for the development of techniques and strategies to cope with droughts in semi-arid environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the partitioning of gross rainfall into throughfall, stemflow, and interception loss in the Brazilian Northeastern Atlantic Forest, and its correlations with rainfall characteristics. The study was conducted in the Bica watershed, in Portalegre, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The work was carried out in 2017, with monitoring of the throughfall, stemflow, and interception loss in an area of 10 × 20 m. Total rainfall depths (TRD) and wind speed were measured, and the evapotranspiration (ET0) was estimated. Based on this information, the intensity (I), kinetic energy (KE) and intensity at intervals of 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 min of each rainfall event were measured. Twenty rainfall events occurred during the study period. The vegetation showed interception of 44.9%, throughfall of 52.9%, and stemflow of 2.2% of the total rainfall. Three principal components (PC) were formed in the PC Analysis, explaining more than 84% of the total variance. PC1, PC2, and PC3 encompassed variables related to rainfall energy to overcome the vegetation physical barrier, inflow and outflow, and variables dependent on the rainfall duration, respectively.

As características das chuvas podem não apenas fornecer informações importantes no que diz respeito ao uso e manejo do solo, mas também minimizar os problemas causados pela erosão hídrica. Neste sentido, objetivou-se avaliar as perdas de solo e água em parcelas de erosão com diferentes coberturas e a interferência das características das chuvas naturais nesses processos. O experimento foi conduzido durante a estação chuvosa dos anos de 2009 e 2010 em três parcelas de erosão de 20 m², submetidas a diferentes condições de uso do solo: Caatinga nativa, Caatinga raleada e cobertura herbácea natural. As chuvas foram classificadas em três diferentes padrões de precipitação caracterizados como avançado, intermediário e atrasado. O padrão de chuva predominante para os dois anos de estudo foi o avançado, com 47,6% do total de eventos, seguido pelo intermediário e atrasado com 30,5 e 22%, respectivamente. Para todo o período estudado as menores perdas de solo foram registradas na Caatinga nativa caracterizando o efeito protetor da cobertura vegetal quanto à produção de sedimentos. Apesar do padrão de chuva avançada ter sido predominante para o período estudado, este não foi o principal fator responsável pelas perdas de água e solo.

The characteristics of rainfall can provide important information for management and land use may also minimize the water erosion problems. This study was carried out to evaluate soil and water loss in erosion plots with different coverage, and the interference of natural rainfall characteristics on these processes. The experiment was carried out during the rainy season in the years of 2009 and 2010, on three erosion plots, each of 20 m², and under different land use conditions: native 'caatinga', thinned 'caatinga' and natural herbaceous cover. The rainfall was classified into three different rainfall patterns, characterized as early, intermediate and late. The predominant rainfall pattern for the two years under study was early rainfall with 47.6%, followed by intermediate and late with 30.5% and 22%, respectively. The smallest soil losses for the entire studied period were recorded for the native 'caatinga' plot, demonstrating the protective effect of vegetation on sediment production. Despite the early rainfall pattern being prevalent in the period of study, this was not the main factor responsible for water and soil loss.

Técnicas de estatística multivariada foram empregadas com o objetivo de identificar a similaridade dos reservatórios superficiais do Ceará, com relação à salinidade das águas e identificar os fatores determinantes da qualidade das águas. Os dados utilizados foram provenientes do banco de dados da Companhia de Gestão dos Recursos Hídricos do Ceará, no período de 1998/2009, no total de 807 amostras de 48 reservatórios. Os parâmetros considerados foram: Cl-, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, HCO3 -, CE e RAS. A análise de agrupamento hierárquico formou quatro grupos distintos, sendo determinantes os tipos e concentrações dos sais analisados. Nos grupos 1 e 2 a salinidade da água é definida principalmente pelas condições naturais de solo e clima da região e nos grupos 3 e 4, além desses fatores, a influência antrópica. O emprego da análise de fator/análise de componente principal promoveu a redução de sete características das águas superficiais do Estado Ceará, para dois componentes, sendo que o primeiro componente explicou 57,28% e o segundo, 26,77% da variância contida nas sete variáveis. Os parâmetros mais representativos na variabilidade da salinidade das águas foram Cl-, CE, Na+ e Mg2+, relacionados com a solubilidade dos sais.

Multivariate statistical techniques were employed in order to identify the similarity in the salinity levels of the water reservoirs of Ceará State, Brazil. Also, to identify the factors that explain the variability of water quality. The data set used in this investigation came from the Company of Water Management (COGERH). The studied period extended from 1998 to 2009, in a total of 807 samples from 48 different sources. The investigated parameters were: Cl-, Ca2+, Mg2+,Na+, HCO3 -, EC and SAR. The Hierarchical Cluster Analysis identified four groups, being the types and concentrations of the analyzed salts the determining factors. In groups 1 and 2, the salinity level of the water was, mainly, due to the geology and the climate of the region. While for group 3 and 4, besides these factors, the water salinity was influenced by human activities. According to the results, the first and the second components (independent factors) explaining, 57.28 and 26.77%, respectively, the total variance of seven variables. The most important parameters related to the variability of the water salinity level were Cl-, CE, Na+ and Mg2+, which were related to salt solubility.

Esterification reactions of glycerol with lauric acid in solvent free system were carried out using lipases from several sources. All lipases were immobilized on polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol particles by covalent binding with high activity recovered. Among the tested enzymes, the Candida antarctica lipase allowed to attain the highest molar conversion (76%), giving similar proportions of monolaurin, dilaurin and low amount of trilaurin. To further improve the process, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used and optima temperature and molar ratio glycerol to lauric acid were found to be 45 ºC and 5:1, respectively. Under these conditions, 31.35% of monolaurin concentrations were attained and this result was in close agreement with the statistical model prediction.

Este trabalho avaliou a influência de fatores que afetam a síntese de ésteres glicéricos, tais como: razão molar entre os reagentes, fonte de lipase e tipo de agente de ativação do suporte obtido pela técnica sol-gel. Foram empregadas preparações comerciais de lipases imobilizadas em partículas de polissiloxano-álcool polivinílico (POS-PVA) previamente ativadas com diferentes agentes (glutaraldeído, metaperiodato de sódio e carbonildiimidazol). Esses resultados foram comparados com aqueles obtidos por preparações de lipase imobilizada disponíveis comercialmente (Lipozyme IM20, Novozym 435, Lipozyme RM IM e Lipozyme TL IM). O meio reacional contendo excesso de glicerol favoreceu a síntese de ésteres glicéricos e a Lipozyme IM20 foi a preparação de lipase imobilizada mais adequada para a síntese, atingindo conversões molares maiores que 94%. O uso da lipase CALB L imobilizada em POS-PVA também alcançou resultados satisfatórios (cerca de 80% de conversão) possibilitando a formação de 36% de 2,3diidroxipropil dodecanoato (monolaurina).

This work assessed the influence of important factors that affect the synthesis of glyceride esters in solvent-free systems, such as: glycerol/fatty acid molar ratio, lipase source and activating agent of the support obtained by the sol-gel technique. Commercial lipase preparations were immobilized on polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol particles (POS-PVA) previously activated with different agents (glutaraldehyde, sodium metaperiodate and carbonyldiimidazole) and their performance on the esterification reaction was compared with commercial preparations of immobilized lipase (Lipozyme IM20, Novozym 435, Lipozyme RM IM and Lipozyme TL IM). The reaction medium containing excess glycerol favored the glyceride ester synthesis and the Lipozyme IM20 was found to be the most suitable immobilized lipase preparation, attaining molar conversions higher than 94%. The use of CAL B Lipase immobilized on POS-PVA also provided satisfactory performance (conversion of about 80%) and allowed the formation of 36% wt of 2,3-dihydroxypropyl dodecanoate (monolaurin).

Os autores iniciam com este trabalho um estudo sistemático de determinação dos cestóides de peixes depositados na Coleção helmintológica do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. São referidas ou descritas as seguintes espécies e seus hospedeiros: Schizochoerus liguloideus (Diesing, 1850) e Nesolecithus janicki Posche, 1922, ambas de Arapaima gigas (Cuvier), (piracuru); Gyrocotyle meandrica Herrera, 1946, de Callorhynchus callorhynchus (L.), (quimera); Acanthobothrium dasybati Yamaguti, 1934 e Pterobothriidae não identificado, de uma arraia não determinada; três tipos larvares de trypanorrhyncha e um de Proteocephalidea, de Cynoscion striatus (Cuv.) e C. leiarchus (pescadinha); Proteocephalus jandia Woodland, 1934, de um bagre não determinado. Monticellia siluri (Fuhrmann, 1916) e Amphoteromorphus praeputialis sp. n. de Cetopsis caecutiens e Nomimoscolex magna sp. n. de Pimelodus clarias (mandi).

The authors start, with this note, a systematic study for determination of cestodes of fishes of the Helminthological Collection of the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. The following species and hosts are refered and described: Schizochoerus liguloideus (Diesing, 1850) and Nesolecithus janicki poche, 1922 both of Arapaima gigas (Cuvier); Gyrocotyle meandrica Herrera, 1946 of Callorhynchus callorhynchus (L.),Acanthobothrium dasybati Yamaguti, 1934 and Pterobothriidae unidentified, of an indeterminate ray; three types of larvae of Trypanorrhyncha and type of Proteocephalidea, of Cynoscion striatus (Cuv.) and C. leiarchus; Proteocephalus jandia Woodland, 1934 of an indeterminate catfish; Monticellia siluri (Furhrmann, 1916) and Amphoteromorphus praeputialis sp. n. of Cetopsis caecutiens and Nomimoscolex magna sp. n. of Pimelodus clarias.