MICP mediated by indigenous bacteria isolated from tailings for biocementation for reduction of wind erosion.

In this study, native ureolytic bacteria were isolated from copper tailings soils to perform microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) tests and evaluate their potential for biocement formation and their contribution to reduce the dispersion of particulate matter into the environment from tailings containing potentially toxic elements. It was possible to isolate a total of 46 bacteria; among them only three showed ureolytic activity: Priestia megaterium T130-1, Paenibacillus sp. T130-13 and Staphylococcus sp. T130-14. Biocement cores were made by mixing tailings with the isolated bacteria in presence of urea, resulting similar to those obtained with Sporosarcina pasteurii and Bacillus subtilis used as positive control. Indeed, XRD analysis conducted on biocement showed the presence of microcline (B. subtilis 17%; P. megaterium 11. 9%), clinochlore (S. pasteurii, 6.9%) and magnesiumhornblende (Paenibacillus sp. 17.8%; P. megaterium 14.6%); all these compounds were not initially present in the tailings soils. Moreover the presence of calcite (control 0.828%; Paenibacillus sp. 5.4%) and hematite (control 0.989%; B. subtilis 6.4%) was also significant unlike the untreated control. The development of biofilms containing abundant amount of Ca, C, and O on microscopic soil particles was evidenced by means of FE-SEM-EDX and XRD. Wind tunnel tests were carried out to investigate the resistance of biocement samples, accounted for a mass loss five holds lower than the control, i.e., the rate of wind erosion in the control corresponded to 82 g/m2h while for the biocement treated with Paenibacillus sp. it corresponded to only 16.371 g/m2h. Finally, in compression tests, the biocement samples prepared with P. megaterium (28.578 psi) and Paenibacillus sp. (28.404 psi) showed values similar to those obtained with S. pasteurii (27.102 psi), but significantly higher if compared to the control (15.427 psi), thus improving the compression resistance capacity of the samples by 85.2% and 84.1% with respect to the control. According to the results obtained, the biocement samples generated with the native strains showed improvements in the mechanical properties of the soil supporting them as potential candidates in applications for the stabilization of mining liabilities in open environments using bioaugmentation strategies with native strains isolated from the same mine tailing.

Variation of the feeding/resting period in modified vertical treatment wetlands (depth, zeolite as medium) employed for treating rural domestic wastewater in tourist areas.

This work aimed to evaluate the performance of modified vertical flow treatment wetlands (VF-TWs) in terms of depth and medium to assess the effect of the feeding/resting periods and footprint (FP). The modifications were proposed for treating domestic wastewater in rural areas with flow variations such as tourist sites. The experimental setup included six laboratory-scale VF-TWs: (a) normal (VF-N), bed depth 1.0 m, filled with sand and (b) modified (VF-M), bed depth 0.5 m, filled with sand (upper) and zeolite (bottom, saturated). The operation was divided into three phases (3 months each), varying the feeding/resting period and FP: phase I, 5 d/10 d, 2.6 m2/person-equivalent (PE); phase II, 3.5 d/3.5 d, 1.7 m2/PE; and phase III, only feeding no resting, 0.85 m2/PE. Influent and effluent grab samples were taken every 2 weeks. The results showed effective removal (above 60%) of total solids, organic matter, and pathogens for both VF-N and VF-M. Regarding nutrients, VF-M showed a phosphate removal below 60%, but no consistent removal (15-60%) of total nitrogen. Thus, the results suggest that proposed modifications can be an option to be established in tourist sites, but further work should be conducted to improve and optimize total nitrogen removal.

Relación entre enfermedades periodontales y salud sistémica en la vejez / The relationship between periodontal disease and systemic health in the elderly

Se denomina Medicina Periodontal a la rama de la Odontología que busca las posibles asociaciones entre las enfermedades periodontales y enfermedades sistémicas, y su plausibilidad biológica. Esta relación se puede explicar por el paso directo de bacterias y/o mediadores inflamatorios a la sangre desde el tejido periodontal, pudiendo acceder y colonizar sitios específicos lejanos en el cuerpo, o por la propagación transtraqueal de patógenos periodontales. Si bien en la actualidad se han estudiado hasta 57 condiciones sistémicas relacionadas con las enfermedades orales y periodontales, se ha podido identificar asociaciones con Osteoporosis, Diabetes Mellitus, Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica, Neumonía, Parto Prematuro y Bajo Peso al Nacer, Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Artritis Reumatoide, Obesidad, Alteraciones Cognitivas, Cáncer, Síndrome Metabólico, Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Enfermedad Renal Crónica, entre otras. La presente revisión busca dar a conocer evidencia respecto a la relación entre Periodontitis Crónica y condiciones sistémicas prevalentes en los Adultos y Adultas Mayores

The branch of dentistry enquiring into possible associations between periodontal disease and systemic illness and their plausibility is Periodontal Medicine. This relationship may be explained by the direct passage of bacteria and/or inflammatory mediators from periodontal tissue to the blood, thus reaching and colonising distant sites in the body, or the transtracheal propagation of periodontal pathogens. 57 systemic conditions related to oral and periodontal disease have been studied and associations with osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, COPD, pneumonia, prematurity and low birth weight, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, cognitive alterations, cancer, metabolic syndrome, neurodegenerative diseases and chronic kidney disease, amongst others have been identified. This review aims to bring to light evidence relating to the relationship between chronic periodontitis and systemic conditions prevalent in adults and the elderly.

La ficha clínica mirada desde la legislación chilena actual / Clinical record looked at from the current Chilean legislation / A ficha clínica vista a partir da legislação chilena atual

Resumen: La historia o ficha clínica ha servido de instrumento de registro de las actividades sanitarias desde el inicio de las profesiones de salud, otorgándosele diversas utilidades y valoraciones, según su objetivo, un valor docente, en investigación, judicial, entre otros. Ante las diferentes interpretaciones de las normas vigentes en Chile se ha debido legislar en su uso, pertenencia, contenido y otros aspectos, aclarando algunas situaciones pero restringiendo su acceso en otros aspectos. Dado las distintas leyes y normativas a las que se asocia su uso, se hizo necesario elaborar un documento que incluya sus aspectos más importantes. Aún quedan elementos asociados a las costumbres, creencias, especialidades en salud, entre otras, que no han sido abordados por las leyes, además de la labor docente de este instrumento.

Abstract: The history or clinical record has served as an element of registration of health activities since the beginning of the health professions, granting him other utilities and valuations according to their objective, as a teaching value, in research, judicial, among others. Given the different interpretations of the norms in force in Chile, it has had to legislate in its use, membership, content and other aspects of the clinical file, clarifying some situations, but restricting their access in other aspects. Given the different laws and regulations associated with its use, it became necessary to produce a document that collects its most important aspects. There are still aspects associated with customs, beliefs, specialties in health, among others, that have not been addressed by the Laws, in addition to the teaching work of this instrument.

Resumo: A história ou ficha clínica tem servido como instrumento de registro das atividades sanitárias desde o início das profissões de saúde, concedendo-se a elas vários utilitários e valorações de acordo com sua finalidade: ensino, pesquisa, valor jurídico, entre outros. Para as diferentes interpretações das normas vigentes no Chile havia de legislar em seu uso, composição, conteúdo e outros aspectos da ficha clínica, esclarecendo algumas situações, mas restringindo seu acesso em outros aspectos. Tendo em conta as diferentes leis e regulamentos aos quais o seu uso está associado, tornou-se necessário apresentar um documento que reúne os aspectos mais importantes. Existem ainda os aspectos associados a costumes, crenças, especialidades em saúde, entre outros, que não foram abordadas pelas leis, além do ensino deste instrumento.

Manifestaciones orales de lupus eritematoso sistémico: a propósito de un caso / Oral clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus a clinical case

El Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico (LES) es una enfermedad crónica autoinmune con múltiples manifestaciones clínicas, que pueden ir desde el decaimiento general con presencia de lesiones cutáneas, hasta un compromiso sistémico severo afectando diversos órganos. Como en otras enfermedades de este tipo, puede verse comprometida la mucosa oral presentando zonas eritematosas, erosiones y úlceras, como también lesiones blancas discoideas, manifestaciones que se observan más intensas cuanto más descompensado se halla el cuadro general. Se presenta el caso de una paciente joven con diagnóstico de LES desde hace tres años, portadora de lesiones faciales, labiales y gingivitis asociada a Biofilm bacteriano y otros factores locales contribuyentes. Es importante que los cirujano-dentistas estén atentos a las manifestaciones que el LES puede presentar en la boca, como una de sus primeras evidencias clínicas, y así contribuir a su diagnóstico oportuno, derivando al enfermo al médico especialista. De igual forma, es importante que el médico considere el tratamiento de las lesiones orales, que suelen afectar de forma importante la calidad de vida de estos enfermos.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic auto-immune disease with multiple clinical expressions varying from feeling generally run down with cutaneous lesions to severe systemic compromise affecting several organs. As with similar diseases there may be involvement of the oral mucosa, with areas of erythema, erosions and ulcers as well as white discoid lesions, all more pronounced with increasing disease severity. We present the case of a young girl diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus three years before who presented facial, lip and gingival lesions associated with bacterial biofilm and other contributing local factors. It is important that dental surgeons be aware of the possibility of finding systemic lupus erythematosus lesions in a patient´s mouth, it being one of the first signs of the disease, thereby helping to reach a timely diagnosis by referring the patient to a specialist. Similarly, the physician should consider treating oral lesions as these have an important effect on the patient´s quality of life.

Arbuscular mycorrhiza effects on plant performance under osmotic stress.

At present, drought and soil salinity are among the most severe environmental stresses that affect the growth of plants through marked reduction of water uptake which lowers water potential, leading to osmotic stress. In general, osmotic stress causes a series of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes that affect plant performance. Several studies have found that diverse types of soil microorganisms improve plant growth, especially when plants are under stressful conditions. Most important are the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) which form arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) with approximately 80% of plant species and are present in almost all terrestrial ecosystems. Beyond the well-known role of AM in improving plant nutrient uptake, the contributions of AM to plants coping with osmotic stress merit analysis. With this review, we describe the principal direct and indirect mechanisms by which AM modify plant responses to osmotic stress, highlighting the role of AM in photosynthetic activity, water use efficiency, osmoprotectant production, antioxidant activities, and gene expression. We also discuss the potential for using AMF to improve plant performance under osmotic stress conditions and the lines of research needed to optimize AM use in plant production.

Influence of hydraulic retention time and plant species on performance of mesocosm subsurface constructed wetlands during municipal wastewater treatment in super-arid areas.

A constructed wetland (CW) in arid areas requires special knowledge given the particular climatic conditions. Among other aspects, the Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) and plant species may be two important design parameters in hyper- and super-arid areas. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the influence of both variables in the application of CW in super-arid areas. Two HRT, 3.5 d and 7 d, and plant species classified by their origin: (a) native, Festuca Orthopylla, Cortaderia atacamensis and Schoenoplectus americanus, and (b) foreign, Cyperus papyrus, were evaluated in four Mesocosm Constructed Wetlands (MCW) operated in a super-arid area. The results showed that the HRT significantly increased (α < 0.05) in more than 10% the removal efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus forms (TN, NH4+-N, TP, PO4-3-P). These results were the same for the two groups of plants assessed. Moreover, Cyperus papyrus significantly increased (α < 0.05) above 30% the removal efficiency, but only for nitrogen and phosphorus forms. MCW with this plant species showed a water loss above 25% and significantly increased (α < 0.05) the Electrical Conductivity (EC) of effluents. MCW planted with Schoenoplectus americanus showed water losses of around 25% for the both HRT evaluated, and its influence was not significant (α > 0.05) on the EC of the effluents. These results suggest that Schoenoplectus americanus would be an ideal candidate species for use in CW with subsurface flow in super-arid areas, with HRT varying between 3.5 d and 7 d.