Plant growth-promoting bacteria in phytoremediation of metal-polluted soils: Current knowledge and future directions.

Soil metal contamination is a major concern due to the ever-rising number of areas afflicted worldwide and the detrimental effects of metals to the environment and human health. Due to their non-biodegradability and toxicity, it is paramount to prevent further metal contamination and remediate the thousands of contaminated sites across the planet. Yet, conventional reclamation based on physical and chemical methods is often expensive, impractical, and triggers secondary pollution issues. Hence, microbe-aided phytoremediation has been gaining significant traction due to its environment-friendly character, cost-effectiveness, and the breakthroughs achieved during the past few decades. Microorganisms are an essential part of natural ecosystems and play a crucial role in their restoration. Indeed, plant-microbe associations in metal-polluted soils are pivotal for plants to tolerate metal toxicity and thrive in these harsh environments. Therefore, improving the understanding of this intricate relationship is invaluable for boosting phytoremediation. In this review, we focus on the potential of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) for enhancing phytoremediation of metal-polluted soils. We discuss the mechanisms employed by microbes to promote plant growth and assist the removal or immobilization of metals in soil, thereby enhancing phytoextraction and phytostabilization, respectively. Microbe-mediated metal removal and detoxification through processes entailing adsorption, chelation, transformation, and precipitation, to list but a few, are also critically examined. Moreover, this work covers the direct and indirect mechanisms used by PGPB to facilitate plant acquisition of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, supply and regulate phytohormones, and exert control over antagonistic microorganisms. Lastly, we provide an outlook on the future directions of microbe-aided phytoremediation and phytomining. Clearly, to fully validate and comprehend the potential of PGPB-aided phytoremediation, a considerable shift from bench-scale to field research is necessary. What's more, it is envisaged that recent advancements in genetic engineering may soon help furthering the efficiency of microbe-assisted phytoremediation.

Predictors of mortality and heart transplantation in patients with Chagas' cardiomyopathy and ventricular tachycardia treated with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.

AIMS: Data on long-term follow-up of patients with Chagas' heart disease (ChHD) receiving a secondary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) are limited and its benefit is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of ChHD patients who received a secondary prevention ICD. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed the outcomes of consecutive ChHD patients referred to our Institution from 2006 to 2014 for a secondary prevention ICD [89 patients; 58 men; mean age 56 ± 11 years; left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 42 ± 12%]. The primary outcome included a composite of death from any cause or heart transplantation. After a mean follow-up of 59 ± 27 months, the primary outcome occurred in 23 patients (5.3% per year). Multivariate analysis showed that LVEF < 35% [hazard ratio (HR) 4.64; P < 0.01] and age ≥ 65 years (HR 3.19; P < 0.01) were independent predictors of the primary outcome. Using these two risk factors, a risk score was developed, and lower- (no risk factors), intermediate- (one risk factor), and higher-risk (two risk factors) groups were recognized with an annual rate of primary outcome of 1.4%, 7.4%, and 20.4%, respectively. A high burden of appropriate ICD therapies (16% per year) and electrical storms were documented, however, ICD interventions did not impact on the primary outcome. CONCLUSION: Among ChHD patients receiving a secondary prevention ICD, older age (≥65 years) and left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF < 35%) portend a poor outcome and were associated with increased risk of death or heart transplantation. Most patients received appropriate ICD therapies, however, ICD interventions did not impact on the primary outcome.

The effects of rhenium accumulation on Indian mustard.

Rhenium (Re) is one of Earth's scarcest and more largely scattered elements, with an estimate concentration of 0.4-0.6 µg kg-1 in the upper crust. Still, considerable concentrations of bioavailable ReO4- ions are often found, particularly in copper-molybdenum mines, where their uptake by plants of these regions has been reported. Yet, the impact of Re on plants remains a question mark, as the only available knowledge derives from a limited investigation carried out over 60 years ago. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ecophysiological response of Brassica juncea, a species known to endure and accumulate various metals, to a broad range of Re concentrations. B. juncea plants were allowed to grow and on a substrate amended with KReO4 to attain soil Re levels ranging from 0 to 80 mg kg-1. Plants were collected 45 days after sowing for analysis. The results have shown that greater Re levels reduce growth, photosynthetic activity, soluble carbohydrate mobilization, and protein contents, and increase the plant's oxidative stress (anthocyanins, H2O2, lipid peroxidation) and corresponding response (ascorbic acid, superoxide dismutase activity). Nevertheless, B. juncea exhibited a remarkable ability to endure and uptake Re, featuring shoot Re concentrations that ranged from 1615 to 24,987 mg kg-1 among the 5 and 80 mg kg-1 treatments.

Oral health determinants and caries outcome among non-privileged children.

The study aimed at identifying oral health determinants that are present in early childhood, are amenable to change and for which there is evidence of their modulation of the rate of caries progression in a sample of non-privileged children. The null hypothesis was that determinants associated with the child's institutional environment as evidenced by nursery policies significantly influenced the child's oral health. The sample was formed by 2,511 Brazilian 1-5-year-olds. Caries severity and activity were recorded. Parents were interviewed and nurseries answered a questionnaire. According to the case status d1efs, the final multilevel model (generalized linear mixed model) identified significant associations with determinants such as bottle-feeding the child during the night on demand, not assisting the child in toothbrushing, ensuring visit to the dentist in case of troubles with teeth only (p < 0.0001) and intake of sugary products 2-4 times daily at nursery (p = 0.026). The likelihood of caries outcomes was associated with determinants related to nursery policies, not promoting preventive oral health care for children of mothers with 4 years of education (OR = 2.14; p < 0.0015) and <4 years of education (OR = 2.6; p = 0.0010), as well as consumption of sugary products 2-4 times daily for children of mothers with 4 years of education (OR = 3.35; p = 0.0010) and <4 years of education (OR = 4.07; p = 0.0063). In conclusion, determinants related to parental negative practices and to nursery policies significantly influenced children's oral health. Of particular interest was the identification of determinants considered amenable to change in connection with nursery policies towards oral health.

Association of moderate coffee intake with self-reported diabetes among urban Brazilians.

Coffee has been associated with reductions in the risk of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCD), including diabetes mellitus. Because differences in food habits are recognizable modifying factors in the epidemiology of diabetes, we studied the association of coffee consumption with type-2 diabetes in a sample of the adult population of the Federal District, Brazil. This cross-sectional study was conducted by telephone interview (n = 1,440). A multivariate analysis was run controlling for socio-behavioural variables, obesity and family antecedents of NCCD. A hierarchical linear regression model and a Poisson regression were used to verify association of type-2 diabetes and coffee intake. The independent variables which remained in the final model, following the hierarchical inclusion levels, were: first level-age and marital status; second level-diabetes and dyslipidaemias in antecedents; third level-cigarette smoking, supplement intake, body mass index; and fourth level-coffee intake (≤100 mL/d, 101 to 400 mL/day, and >400 mL/day). After adjusting hierarchically for the confounding variables, consumers of 100 to 400 mL of coffee/day had a 2.7% higher (p = 0.04) prevalence of not having diabetes than those who drank less than 100 mL of coffee/day. Compared to coffee intake of ≤100 mL/day, adults consuming >400 mL of coffee/day showed no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of diabetes. Thus, moderate coffee intake is favourably associated with self-reported type-2 diabetes in the studied population. This is the first study to show a relationship between coffee drinking and diabetes in a Brazilian population.

Tratamento da distrofia simpático-reflexa do joelho pela acupuntura / Treatment of reflex sympathetic distrophy of knee by acupuncture

As lesöes mínimas do joelho podem desencadear o quadro de distrofia simpático-reflexa (DSR). Såo analisados o comportamento de oito pacientes com nove joelhos com DSR tratado com o recurso de Acupuntura. A análise estatística quanto à dor mostrou uma melhora significativa em todos os pacientes e melhora significativa na capacidade de correr, de andar, de pular, de agachar; melhora na evoluçåo da limitaçåo de flexåo do joelho e, quanto à evoluçåo da limitaçåo de extensåo mostrou nåo haver diferença significante. Os autores consideram a sensibilizaçåo dos nociceptores como causa fundamental da DSR e observam que 78,8//dos pacientes haviam sido submetidos à exploraçåo cirúrgica do joelho