ABSTRACT Knowledge regarding the static pressure drop in granular layers is of fundamental importance in the development of efficient drying and aeration projects of agricultural products. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of impurity contents on the static pressure drop in different bed depth of castor bean grains, as well as modify the mathematical models per the obtained experimental data and select the model that best represents this phenomenon. First, impurities in castor bean grains of the Guarani variety were eliminated and 6% of the moisture content (dry basis) was retained. The coarse impurity contents were obtained with 2%, 4%, and 6% of mass addition. The pressure drop in different bed depth of clean and impure castor bean grains were determined using an experimental determination equipment of pressure drop in bed depth with an airflow rate ranging 0.2 - 1.0 m3 s−1 m−2. The pressure drop linearly increases with an increase in the depth of the grain layer, and the increase in the airflow rate leads to an increased pressure drop in the castor bean grains layer. The impurity contents increase causes a reduction in pressure drop. The models that best represent castor beans grains pressure drop experimental data, without and with impurities, are Hukill & Ives (1955) and Nimkar & Chattopadhyay (2002), respectively.

Resumo Fundamento: O número de síndromes genéticas descritas que apresentam alguma forma de cardiopatia e manifestações oculares associadas é grande. Contudo, estas síndromes ainda não foram reunidas e sintetizadas para melhor consulta e comparação. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho é sistematizar a literatura, avaliando evidências disponíveis sobre síndromes que cursam com cardiopatia congênita associada a alterações oculares, salientando os tipos de alterações anatômicas e funcionais descritas. Métodos: Dois pesquisadores independentes fizeram uma busca sistemática utilizando as bases eletrônicas Medline (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Lilacs), de trabalhos publicados até o mês de janeiro de 2016. Os critérios de elegibilidade utilizados pelos autores incluíram somente artigos publicados sob a forma de relatos de caso ou revisão, que abordassem a associação de alterações oftalmológicas e cardiológicas em pacientes menores de 18 anos e que apresentassem alguma síndrome genética. Resultados: As síndromes genéticas mais frequentes foram: Síndrome de Down, Síndrome Velo-cardio-facial / DiGeorge, Síndrome de Charge e Síndrome de Noonan. Entre as malformações cardíacas, a comunicação interatrial (77,4%), a comunicação interventricular (51.6%), a persistência do canal arterial (35,4%), estenose da artéria pulmonar (25,8%) e a tetralogia de Fallot (22,5%) foram as mais associadas com achados oculares. Conclusão: Devido à sua variedade clínica, as malformações cardíacas congênitas revelam defeitos que evoluem de maneira assintomática até aqueles que provocam grande morbimortalidade. Dessa forma, encontrar características extra-cardíacas que, de alguma maneira, possam auxiliar no diagnóstico da doença ou revelar a gravidade dessa enfermidade tornam-se de grande relevância.

Abstract Background: Numerous genetic syndromes associated with heart disease and ocular manifestations have been described. However, a compilation and a summarization of these syndromes for better consultation and comparison have not been performed yet. Objective: The objective of this work is to systematize available evidence in the literature on different syndromes that may cause congenital heart diseases associated with ocular changes, focusing on the types of anatomical and functional changes. Method: A systematic search was performed on Medline electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Lilacs) of articles published until January 2016. Eligibility criteria were case reports or review articles that evaluated the association of ophthalmic and cardiac abnormalities in genetic syndrome patients younger than 18 years. Results: The most frequent genetic syndromes were: Down Syndrome, Velo-cardio-facial / DiGeorge Syndrome, Charge Syndrome and Noonan Syndrome. The most associated cardiac malformations with ocular findings were interatrial communication (77.4%), interventricular communication (51.6%), patent ductus arteriosus (35.4%), pulmonary artery stenosis (25.8%) and tetralogy of Fallot (22.5%). Conclusion: Due to their clinical variability, congenital cardiac malformations may progress asymptomatically to heart defects associated with high morbidity and mortality. For this reason, the identification of extra-cardiac characteristics that may somehow contribute to the diagnosis of the disease or reveal its severity is of great relevance.

Studies on the survival of species are essential to understanding their biology and to developing effective conservation and management plans. This study aimed to determine the best model to explain the survival of the species Melocactus conoideus on the basis of time, density, age structure and habitat location, as well as to describe the interactions among those factors. The study was conducted in three M. conoideus habitat patches in the municipality of Vitória da Conquista, in the state of Bahia, Brazil, only one of which was within a "conservation unit" (protected area). In each patch, we selected 120 specimens of M. conoideus, which were marked with identification plates and classified by developmental stage and density. The survival of those individuals was monitored for a period of one year. The overall survival of M. conoideus was 87.5% and was found to correlate with the month, as well as with the interaction between the factors Patch and Density. Our results show that the survival of M. conoideus individuals is related to the intrinsic characteristics of each habitat patch and suggest that more areas should be set aside for the conservation of this species.

The presence of intestinal helminths can down-regulate the immune response required to control mycobacterial infection. BALB/c mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis following an infection with the intestinal helminth Strongyloides venezuelensis showed reduced interleukin-17A production by lung cells and increased bacterial burden. Also, small granulomas and a high accumulation of cells expressing the inhibitory molecule CTLA-4 were observed in the lung. These data suggest that intestinal helminth infection could have a detrimental effect on the control of tuberculosis (TB) and render coinfected individuals more susceptible to the development of TB.

A riqueza de formigas de capões do Pantanal brasileiro foi amostrada e relacionada com a complexidade estrutural das áreas. As formigas foram coletadas com armadilhas de solo do tipo pitfall em 28 capões na Fazenda Rio Negro, Município de Aquidauana, MS. A complexidade estrutural dos capões foi avaliada através de estimativa da densidade da vegetação e da espessura da serapilheira próximo às armadilhas. Setenta e uma espécies foram encontradas, pertencentes a 26 gêneros e sete subfamílias, das quais Ectatomma edentatum Roger (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) e uma espécie de Pheidole foram as mais freqüentes. Somente foi encontrada relação positiva entre a riqueza da comunidade de formigas e a densidade da vegetação herbácea, corroborando a idéia de que a heterogeneidade do ambiente é um fator determinante para a coexistência e diminuição de competição entre espécies.

Species richness of epigeic ants was surveyed in forest islands named capões of Brazilian Pantanal and related with their structural complexity. The ants were collected using pitfall traps in 28 capões from Rio Negro Farm, in Aquidauana municipality, Mato-Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. The structural complexity of capões was evaluated by measuring vegetation density and litter quantity near the pit-fall traps. Seventy-one species, distributed in 26 genera and seven sub-families were found. Ectatomma edentatum Roger (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) and one species of Pheidole were the most frequent species. Species richness was positively correlated only with herbaceous vegetation density of capões, supporting the idea that the increase in environmental heterogeneity diminishes species competition, allowing species co-occurrence.

Atta cephalotes (L.) apresenta ampla distribuição na região Neotropical. No Brasil, foi registrada na região Amazônica e nos estados do Maranhão, Pernambuco e sul da Bahia, todos pertencentes à Região Nordeste. Neste trabalho é apresentado o registro de A. cephalotes em 42 remanescentes de Floresta Atlântica nordestina em Alagoas e Pernambuco. Os resultados incluem novos registros de A. cephalotes em Alagoas, ampliando a distribuição da espécie no Nordeste. Além disso, mostram que a espécie é fortemente associada a remanescentes de floresta bem conservados, indicando alta sensitividade a perturbações. É sugerido que, no cenário fragmentado da Floresta Atlântica nordestina, A. cephalotes pode estar sendo substituída por A. sexdens que esteve presente em todas as áreas amostradas.

Atta cephalotes (L.) presents a wide distribution in the Neotropical region. In Brazil, this species is disjunctly distributed in the Amazon region and in the states of Maranhão, Pernambuco and southern Bahia, all of which belong to Northeast Region. Here we report on a survey of Atta colonies in 42 remnants of the Atlantic rainforest in Alagoas and Pernambuco. Our results include new records of A. cephalotes in the state of Alagoas and thereby extend the known distribution area of its southern populations in Northeast Brazil. In addition, the species was strongly associated with well-conserved forest remnants, indicating that it is highly sensitive to disturbance. We suggest that, in the fragmented scenario of the northeastern Atlantic forest, A. cephalotes may be replaced by A. sexdens, which was present throughout all survey sites.