Plant growth-promoting Burkholderia species isolated from annual ryegrass in Portuguese soils.

AIMS: To search for culturable Burkholderia species associated with annual ryegrass in soils from natural pastures in Portugal, with plant growth-promoting effects. METHODS AND RESULTS: Annual ryegrass seedlings were used to trap Burkholderia from two different soils in laboratory conditions. A combined approach using genomic fingerprinting and sequencing of 16S rRNA and recA genes resulted in the identification of Burkholderia strains belonging to the species Burkholderia graminis, Burkholderia fungorum and the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Most strains were able to solubilize mineral phosphate and to synthesize indole acetic acid; some of them could produce siderophores and antagonize the phytopathogenic oomycete, Phytophthora cinnamomi. A strain (G2Bd5) of B. graminis was selected for gnotobiotic plant inoculation experiments. The main effects were the stimulation of root growth and enhancement of leaf lipid synthesis and turnover. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and confocal laser microscopy evidenced that strain G2Bd5 is a rhizospheric and endophytic colonizer of annual ryegrass. CONCLUSIONS: This work revealed that annual ryegrass can naturally associate with members of the genus Burkholderia. A novel plant growth promoting strain of B. graminis was obtained. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The novel strain belongs to the plant-associated Burkholderia cluster and is a promising candidate for exploitation as plant inoculant in field conditions.

An open-label study of levopromazine (methotrimeprazine) as an add-on therapy in fibromyalgia management.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the potential efficacy and tolerability of levopromazine(methotrimeprazine) in the treatment of fibromyalgia. METHODS: Unicentre, open-label study conducted in thirty-five outpatients, aged 18 years or older, who met the ACR criteria for fibromyalgia and had not satisfactorily responded to previous fibromyalgia treatment. Levopromazine, flexibly dosed (12.5-100 mg/d), was added to the outpatients' original treatment regimens for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the mean change from baseline to endpoint in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) total score in the intent-to-treat sample. Secondary outcomes included the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) of Severity scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, 12-Item Short Form Health Survey, and individual items of the FIQ. RESULTS: The mean FIQ total score did not decrease significantly at the study endpoint (63.37 SD 11.32 vs. 61.19 SD 9.32, p=0.73). Pain intensity, as evaluated by the Visual Analogue Scale, remained unchanged at study endpoint (8.5 SD 1.6 vs. 8.2 SD 1.2, p=0.49). A statistically significant reduction was observed in the PSQI score (15.65 SD 3.33 vs. 12.23 SD 3.79, p<0.001, effect size: 1.03) and the CGI-severity score (4.71 SD 0.64 vs. 4.03 SD 1.01, p<0.002, effect size: 1.06). No significant or relevant changes were seen in the remaining fibromyalgia symptoms, psychopathological scales or quality-of-life. The drug was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its efficacy in improving sleep quality, levopromazine does not appear to be a useful alternative treatment for fibromyalgia.

Effects of pool-based exercise in fibromyalgia symptomatology and sleep quality: a prospective randomised comparison between stretching and Ai Chi.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of two pool-based physical therapies, stretching and Ai Chi, in fibromyalgia symptomatology and sleep quality. METHODS: Eighty-one patients, randomly assigned to stretching (n=39) or Ai Chi (n=42), received 18 physiotherapy sessions and were evaluated at baseline, at treatment termination, and after 4 and 12 weeks of follow-up. Main outcome measures were the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Secondary outcome measures included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the SF-12 Health Survey (SF-12). Data analysis was done with repeated measures ANOVA and effect size estimation. RESULTS: No differences were found between groups but significant reduction in the FIQ and the PSQI scores were observed in Ai Chi but not in stretching group, with larger effect sizes and longer effect duration on sleep measures. BDI scores decreased in stretching but not in Ai Chi group with small effect sizes. Trait-anxiety scores decreased in both groups also with small effect sizes. The mental component summary of the SF-12 increased only in stretching group with effect sizes moderate to large. CONCLUSIONS: Although no global differences were found between groups, Ai Chi significantly improved fibromyalgia symptomatology and sleep quality, whereas stretching only improved subjects' psychological well-being.

Genotoxicity of organic extracts of airborne particles in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster.

Complex mixtures extracted from air filters exposed for 24 h in two sessions (27 July and 02 August 1991) and at two locations (Merced, downtown, and Pedregal de San Angel, south-west) in Mexico City were analysed. The organic extracts were from airborne particles equal or smaller than 10 microns (PM10), and from total suspended particles (TSP). These organic extracts were assayed in the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in wings of Drosophila melanogaster using two different crosses as well as in the Salmonella/microsome assay using strain TA98 with and without S9 fraction. The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the extracts was determined by gas chromatography. The genotoxic activities observed in the two test systems were comparable with the indirect mutagens producing greater response than the direct mutagens. The quantities of particulate matter as well as the genotoxic activities were higher on 02 August than on 27 July 1991 for both locations. The amounts of airborne particles and the resulting genotoxic activities were higher at Merced than at Pedregal. In both biological systems, PM10 were more genotoxic than TSP. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of the Drosophila wing SMART-which is an in vivo eukaryotic genotoxicity assay-as a biological monitor of environmental pollution related to airborne particles.

[Children with brain seizures: impact on their families. A clinical and social study]. / Repercusión familiar de los niños afectados por crisis cerebrales: estudio clínico y social.

INTRODUCTION AND MATERIAL: Over a two-year period, a total of 23 children (13 males and 11 females) entered in the Unit of Infantile Neurology of our hospital affections of diverse types of cerebral seizures, were subjected to follow-up study prospective from the point of view medical and social, analyzing the characteristic and situation of their family environment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Between the outputs, they have met important differences between the attitude in front of the problem of the several family groups, according to it's valued for the doctor or for the Unit of Social Work. At the beginning he is not frequent the acceptance of the illness, contrarily to the one which the denial happens to. Have been detected a tall index of anxiety-anguish between the relatives setting in connection with the correct acceptance diagnostic. They have not met differences between the attitude in front of the problem and the economical status associate referred to the profession, the instruction or the housing of the parents. The severity of the illness has not been the only factor in the integration psychosocial of the children with seizures, existing other factors of environmental character that rebound same on the medium. The disorders of the psychotic sphere was those that were affected with an old intensity.

Genotoxic activity of environmentally important polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their nitro derivatives in the wing spot test of Drosophila melanogaster.

The genotoxicity of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and of three of their nitro derivatives was evaluated in the wing Somatic Mutation And Recombination Test (SMART) in Drosophila melanogaster. Two crosses were used, i.e. the standard cross (ST) and the improved high bioactivation cross (HB) which is characterised by an increased sensitivity to the genotoxic effects of promutagens and procarcinogens. Larvae trans-heterozygous for the two recessive wing cell markers multiple wing hairs (mwh) and flare (flr3) were fed with the test compounds for 48 h. The wings of the surviving flies were analysed for the occurrence of single and twin spots. Naphthalene, 1-nitronaphthalene and 1,5-dinitronaphthalene proved to be more genotoxic in the HB cross than in the ST cross. Anthracene showed a clear genotoxic activity only in the HB cross whereas it was negative in the ST cross. 9-Nitroanthracene gave inconsistent results in both crosses. Phenanthrene was negative in the ST cross, but weakly positive in the HB cross. These results demonstrate that the genotoxic activity of these PAHs and their nitro derivatives can be detected with the somatic cells of the wing imaginal discs of larvae with high bioactivation capacity.

Esclerosis focal y riñón en herradura. Presentación de un caso / Focal sclerosis and horse-shoe kidney. Presentation of one case

En este trabajo se hace una revisión de dos entidades: riñón en herradura y esclerosis segmentaria focal. Se presenta un paciente con la excepcional asociación de ambas enfermedades, que ha sido ingresado en reiteradas ocasiones por crisis de descompensación de su glomerulopatía primaria (esclerosis segmentaria y focal). En su último ingreso en la Unidad de Nefrología del hospital docente "Manuel Ascunce Domenech", se llega al diagnóstico histopatológico a través de muestra obtenida por punción biópsica percutánea(AU)

Excreción urinaria de electrolitos en sujetos normales y en pacientes con litiasis cálcica idiopática / Urinary excretion of electrolytes in normal subjects and in patients with idiopathic calcium lithiasis

La excreción de calcio, fósforo y magnesio en orinas de 24 horas es analizada en 70 sujetos; 35 pacientes conlitiasis cálcica idiopática y 35 personas normales con igual distribución de sexo para ambos grupos. Los pacientes con litiasis cálcica presentaron un notable aumento en la calciuria de 24 horas (185,96 más-menos 118,24 para un DS) comparada con sujetos normales (129,77 más-menos 48,43 para una DS). La excreción de los otros electrolitos no tuvo diferencia significativa en los dos grupos estudiados. Las dosificaciones de calcio, fósforo, creatinina y ácido úrico en sangre se comportaron de forma similar en sujetos sanos y en pacientes con litiasis cálcica. El índice calcio/magnesio es notablemente mayor en los enfermos litiásicos que en sujetos normales(AU)

La pericarditis en el paciente urémico y su tratamiento con indometacina / Pericarditis in the uremic patient and its treatment with indomethacin

En el presente trabajo se analizan 36 pacientes con IRC terminal sometidos a tratamiento dialítico, señalando la incidencia de pericarditis (11,1 porciento), su forma de "debut" y el número de diálisis realizadas al inicio de la enfermedad. La ausencia de complicaciones tales como miocarditis, ha sido un dato de interés en nuestra casuística. Se realiza una revisión de las diferentes terapéuticas ensayadas para el manejo de la pericarditis urémica y se comparan con la llevada a cabo por nosotros. Se brindan las sugerencias al respecto(AU)

Estudio de 122 trasplantes renales / A study 122 renal transplantations

Se estudiaron 122 trasplantes renales primarios con riñón de cadáver, realizados en el Instituto de Nefrología de Cuba entre febrero de 1970 a junio de 1975; con posibilidades de más de 2 años de evolución al finalizar nuestro trabajo. Se efectuó un análisis del comportamiento en general de los riñones trasplantados, y se pudo observar una supervivencia funcional del 45,6 porciento al año y 41,3 porciento a los 2 años, el rechazo fue la causa fundamental de pérdidas de riñones. La infección fue la causa de muerte más frecuente de los pacientes trasplantados(AU)

Valor de la prueba de acidificación en pacientes litiásico / Value of acidification test in lithiasic patients

En nuestro estudio se le realizó una prueba de acidificación corta a tres poblaciones diferentes, y se obtuvo un resultado similar en su comportamiento funcional. En el grupo de pacientes litiásicos se detectaron dos enfermos con acidosis tubular distal incompleta, lo que pone de manifiesto la importancia de la realización de dicha prueba en los pacientes litiásicos(AU)