The contribution of rare SERPINA1 alleles into AATD should not be neglected in the diagnosis practice given there is a wide spectrum of variants originated by mutation and sometimes shuffled between chromosomes by recombination. Even though many of the rare variants are likely to be recent and population specific others seems to be as old as the Z allele and dispersed across European populations.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) project has been working to improve awareness, prevention and management of this disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate how COPD patients are reclassified by the 2017 GOLD system (versus GOLD 2011), to calculate the level of agreement between these two classifications in allocation to categories and to compare the performance of each classification to predict future exacerbations. Two-hundred COPD patients (>40 years, post bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity<0.7) followed in pulmonology consultation were recruited into this prospective multicentric study. Approximately half of the patients classified as GOLD D [2011] changed to GOLD B [2017]. The extent of agreement between GOLD 2011 and GOLD 2017 was moderate (Cohen's Kappa = 0.511; p < 0.001) and the ability to predict exacerbations was similar (69.7% and 67.6%, respectively). GOLD B [2017] exacerbated 17% more than GOLD B [2011] and had a lower percent predicted post bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). GOLD B [2017] turned to be the predominant category, more heterogeneous and with a higher risk of exacerbation versus GOLD B [2011]. Physicians should be cautious in assessing the GOLD B [2017] patients. The assessment of patients should always be personalized. More studies are needed to evaluate the impact of the 2017 reclassification in predicting outcomes such as future exacerbations and mortality.

symptoms, incontinence cure rate and the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) score were evaluated. RESULTSThe operative duration was 12 min; the mean pain score was 2.3 and only one patient had transient voiding difficulties. After a mean follow-up of 15 months, 71% of the patients were dry and 14% improved. The KHQ scores decreased significantly for most subscores. Urgency appeared de novo in six patients (5.6%), and vaginal erosion required one TVT-Secur explantation. CONCLUSIONThis study shows that TVT-Secur is a simple and safe treatment for female SUI, but before recommending this sling as a first choice for treating SUI, TVT-Secur must pass the test of time and comparative studies with conventional slings.

No abstract

[1] Records of M-component currents of first return strokes in natural negative cloud-to-ground lightning measured in a short instrumented tower are shown along with correlated video records, electric field changes, and relative luminosity. The synchronized fast-camera records clearly match the increase of luminosity of the faint lightning channel. The parameters of these M components are all consistent with those of triggered lightning. According to records of electric field change of lightning events near Morro do Cachimbo Station and of currents measured at the instrumented tower, the frequency of first return strokes exhibiting M components is within the range of tens of percent and not of a few percent, as usually accepted. This expectation of a few percent is based on a very low number of first return strokes expected to be followed by continuing currents. It was found that most of the analyzed first-return-stroke M components of natural lightning occur at the final phase of the return-stroke process and not during the flow of continuing currents. Apparently, this also holds true for most of the first M components of subsequent return strokes.

RESUMOO estudo das condições climáticas da região de Petrolina se faz necessário devido sua importância no cenário agrícola nacional. O objetivo do trabalho foi caracterizar os perfis pluviométricos, classificar por meio da utilização de técnica quantílica e a realização de balanço hídrico para diferentes regimes hídricos observados. Foram utilizados da estação meteorológica convencional (OMM: 81991) localizada no município de Petrolina-PE, os dados de precipitação pluvial e temperatura média do ar condensada. Além do uso da técnica de Quantis que classifica os anos de acordo com o índice pluviométrico anual como muito seco, seco, normal, chuvoso e muito chuvoso, foi utilizado o balanço hídrico pelo método de Thornthwaite e Mather. Na caracterização pluviométrica observou-se um quantitativo anual, variando entre 107,20 e 1023,50 mm, com média de 496,83 mm, a cada dois anos é possível observar uma precipitação pluvial igual ou inferior a 462,92 mm. Ao avaliar o balanço hídrico para os distintos regimes pluviométricos obtidos, pode-se verificar que todos os regimes pluviométricos apresentaram uma deficiência que se estende por todo o ano, com exceção para anos chuvoso e muito chuvoso que apresentam reposição nos meses iniciais do ano. Palavras-chave: ciclo hidrológico, climatologia, planejamento agrícola LOPES, I; GUIMARÃES, M. J. M.; MELO, J. M. M.; RAMOS, C. M. C. WATER BALANCE FOR PRECIPITATION REGIMES IN THE PETROLINA, PE REGION ABSTRACTThe study of the climatic conditions of the Petrolina region is necessary due to its importance in the national agricultural scenario. The objective of this work was to characterize the rainfall profiles, to classify by means of the use of quantile regression technique and the achievemnt of water balance for different water regimes observed. Data for rainfall and average temperature of the condensed air were provided by the conventional meteorological station (OMM: 81991) located in the city of Petrolina, PE. In addition to the Quantis technique, which classifies years according to the annual rainfall index as very dry, dry, normal, rainy and very rainy, the water

The objective of this study was to identify sorghum varieties that have growth and grain yield potential under saline conditions. The study was conducted in 2016 at a greenhouse of the Embrapa Semiárido, in Petrolina, state of Pernambuco, Brazil (9° 8’ 8.9’’ S, 40° 18’ 33.6’’ W, and altitude of 373 m). A randomized block experimental design, with a 6 × 5 factorial arrangement, and three replications was used. The treatments consisted of six grain sorghum varieties (1011-IPA, 2502-IPA, 2564-IPA, 2600-IPA, Ponta Negra, and Qualimax), and five salinity levels of the irrigation water (ECw = 0, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, and 12.0 dS m-1). Plant height, stem diameter, dry matter yield, width and length of the +3 leaf, total leaf area, water use efficiency, and grain yield were evaluated. The sorghum varieties 2502-IPA and 1011-IPA presented the highest grain yields when using an ECw of 6.0 dS m-1, followed by Ponta Negra, Qualimax, and 2600-IPA. The 2564-IPA, 2600-IPA, and Qualimax varieties were more sensitive to the salinity effects, with reductions of 50% of the production with ECw of 3.52, 2.75, and 4.38 dS m-1, respectively.

No abstract