Combined effect of endophytic Bacillus mycoides and rock phosphate on the amelioration of heavy metal stress in wheat plants.

BACKGROUND: Zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) are nutrients that are crucial for plant growth; however, when they are present at higher concentrations, they can cause toxicity in plants. The present study aimed to isolate plant growth promoting endophytic bacteria from Viburnum grandiflorum and assess its plant and defense promoting potential alone and in combination with RP in zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) toxic soil. The isolated endophytic bacteria were identified using 16s rRNA gene sequencing. For the experiment, twelve different treatments were applied using Zn, Ni, isolated endophytic Bacillus mycoides (Accession # MW979613), and rock phosphate (RP). The Ni, Zn and RP were used at the rate of (100 mg/kg) and (0.2 g/kg) respectively. A pot experiment with three replicates of each treatment was conducted using a complete randomized design (CRD). RESULTS: The results indicated that Ni (T5 = seed + 100 mg/kg Ni and T9 = seed + 100 mg/kg Zn) and Zn concentrations inhibited plant growth, but the intensity of growth inhibition was higher in Ni-contaminated soil. Bacillus mycoides and RP at 100 mg/Kg Zn (T12 = inoculated seed + 100 mg/kg Zn + RP0.2 g/kg.) increased the shoot length, leaf width, protein and sugar content by 57%, 13%, 20% and 34%, respectively, compared to the control. The antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutases (SOD), peroxidase (POD) were decreased in contaminated soil. Furthermore, Ni and Zn accumulation was inhibited in T11 (seed + 100 mg/kg Zn + RP0.2 g/Kg) and T12 (inoculated seed + 100 mg/kg Zn + RP0.2 g/Kg) by 62 and 63% respectively. The Cu, Ca, and K, contents increased by 128, 219 and 85, Mn, Na, and K by 326, 449, and 84% in (T3 = inoculated seed) and (T4 = inoculated seed + RP 0.2 g/Kg) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ni was more toxic to plants than Zn, but endophytic bacteria isolated from Viburnum grandiflorum, helped wheat (Triticum aestivum) plants and reduced the toxic effects of Ni and Zn. The effect of Bacillus mycoides was more prominent in combination with RP which promoted and suppressed heavy-metal toxicity. The reported combination of Bacillus mycoides and RP may be useful for improving plant growth and overcoming metal stress.

Heavy metals mitigation and growth promoting effect of endophytic Agrococcus terreus (MW 979614) in maize plants under zinc and nickel contaminated soil.

Introduction: Heavy metals such as iron, copper, manganese, cobalt, silver, zinc, nickel, and arsenic have accumulated in soils for a long time due to the dumping of industrial waste and sewage. Various techniques have been adapted to overcome metal toxicity in agricultural land but utilizing a biological application using potential microorganisms in heavy metals contaminated soil may be a successful approach to decontaminate heavy metals soil. Therefore, the current study aimed to isolate endophytic bacteria from a medicinal plant (Viburnum grandiflorum) and to investigate the growth-promoting and heavy metal detoxification potential of the isolated endophytic bacteria Agrococus tereus (GenBank accession number MW 979614) under nickel and zinc contamination. Methods: Zinc sulfate and nickel sulfate solutions were prepared at the rate of 100 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg in sterilized distilled water. The experiment was conducted using a completely random design (CRD) with three replicates for each treatment. Results and Discussion: Inoculation of seeds with A. tereus significantly increased the plant growth, nutrient uptake, and defense system. Treatment T4 (inoculated seeds), T5 (inoculated seeds + Zn100 mg/kg), and T6 (inoculated seeds + Ni 100 mg/kg) were effective, but T5 (inoculated seeds + Zn100 mg/kg) was the most pronounced and increased shoot length, root length, leaf width, plant height, fresh weight, moisture content, and proline by 49%, 38%, 89%, 31%, 113%, and 146%, respectively. Moreover the antioxidant enzymes peroxidase and super oxidase dismutase were accelerated by 211 and 68% in contaminated soil when plants were inoculated by A. tereus respectively. Similarly the inoculation of A. tereus also enhanced maize plants' absorption of Cu, Mn, Ni, Na, Cr, Fe, Ca, Mg, and K significantly. Results of the findings concluded that 100 mg/kg of Zn and Ni were toxic to maize growth, but seed inoculation with A. tereus helped the plants significantly in reducing zinc and nickel stress. The A. tereus strain may be employed as a potential strain for the detoxification of heavy metals.

Association of Proliferative Activity in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Breast in Pakistani Population.

Background: Personalized medicine has played very important role in management of breast cancer. Proliferative index is one among the prognostic and predictive factor but unfortunately due to varied reports , no definite consensus and routine medical practice has been approved for it. The objective of the study is to observe the association of Ki-67 index using St. Gallen Conference criteria in invasive ductal carcinoma breast in Pakistani Population. Methods: Eighty-three patients with confirmed light microscopic diagnosis of primary invasive ductal carcinoma were recruited in this prospective study . Expression of Ki67 was determined by classifying as low (<15%) and high (>15%) Ki67 in tumour. Statistical analysis was performed to observe the association of Ki-67 with clinicopathological parameters and molecular group (i.e., Luminal A, Luminal B, Her2 enriched and triple negative). Results: Out of 83 patients, 73.5% of patients showed >15% Ki67 (p value <0.001). High expression of Ki 67 (>15%) was observed in 3.6%, 21.7% and 48.2 % of Nottingham grade I, II and III (p value=0.017) respectively. Among molecular group, high expression of Ki67 was observed 20.5% in Luminal A, 9.6% in Luminal B, 15.7% in Her2 enriched and 27.7% in triple negative groups (p= 0.017). There was no significant association observed in expression of Ki 67 among lymph node stage, tumour stage and Nottingham prognostic index. Conclusion: Higher Ki-67 reactivity is usually associated with higher-grade morphology of tumour. It can act as an independent predictor in assessment of tumour behavior. However, larger validation clinical studies are still required for confirmation of its importance and for routine practice.

Risk factors for malignant ventricular arrhythmias in lamin a/c mutation carriers a European cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine risk factors that predict malignant ventricular arrhythmias (MVA) in Lamin A/C (LMNA) mutation carriers. BACKGROUND: LMNA mutations cause a variety of clinical phenotypes, including dilated cardiomyopathy and conduction disease. Many LMNA mutation carriers have a poor prognosis, because of a high frequency of MVA and progression to end-stage heart failure. However, it is unclear how to identify mutation carriers that are at risk for MVA. METHODS: In this multicenter cohort of 269 LMNA mutation carriers, we evaluated risk factors for MVA, defined as sudden cardiac death, resuscitation, and appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) treatment. RESULTS: In a median follow-up period of 43 months (interquartile range: 17 to 101 months), 48 (18%) persons experienced a first episode of MVA: 11 persons received successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 25 received appropriate ICD treatment, and 12 persons died suddenly. Independent risk factors for MVA were nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, left ventricular ejection fraction <45% at the first clinical contact, male sex, and non-missense mutations (ins-del/truncating or mutations affecting splicing). MVA occurred only in persons with at least 2 of these risk factors. There was a cumulative risk for MVA per additional risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: Carriers of LMNA mutations with a high risk of MVA can be identified using these risk factors. This facilitates selection of LMNA mutation carriers who are most likely to benefit from an ICD.

A genome-wide association study identifies two loci associated with heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major cause of heart failure with a high familial recurrence risk. So far, the genetics of DCM remains largely unresolved. We conducted the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify loci contributing to sporadic DCM. METHODS AND RESULTS: One thousand one hundred and seventy-nine DCM patients and 1108 controls contributed to the discovery phase. Pools of DNA stratified on disease status, population, age, and gender were constituted and used for testing association of DCM with 517 382 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Three DCM-associated SNPs were confirmed by individual genotyping (P < 5.0 10(-7)), and two of them, rs10927875 and rs2234962, were replicated in independent samples (1165 DCM patients and 1302 controls), with P-values of 0.002 and 0.009, respectively. rs10927875 maps to a region on chromosome 1p36.13 which encompasses several genes among which HSPB7 has been formerly suggested to be implicated in DCM. The second identified locus involves rs2234962, a non-synonymous SNP (c.T757C, p. C151R) located within the sequence of BAG3 on chromosome 10q26. To assess whether coding mutations of BAG3 might cause monogenic forms of the disease, we sequenced BAG3 exons in 168 independent index cases diagnosed with familial DCM and identified four truncating and two missense mutations. Each mutation was heterozygous, present in all genotyped relatives affected by the disease and absent in a control group of 347 healthy individuals, strongly suggesting that these mutations are causing the disease. CONCLUSION: This GWAS identified two loci involved in sporadic DCM, one of them probably implicates BAG3. Our results show that rare mutations in BAG3 contribute to monogenic forms of the disease, while common variant(s) in the same gene are implicated in sporadic DCM.

Are unexplained vaginal symptoms associated with psychosocial distress? A pilot investigation.

AIM: Vaginal complaints cannot be definitively diagnosed in approximately one-third of women. We sought to determine if women without a diagnosis had higher levels of psychiatric disorders. METHODS: This was an observational study in an urban family practice clinic. Prior to seeing a clinician, women with vaginal complaints completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ); symptoms were measured by the Vaginal Complaints Scale (VCS). Patients were then examined and treated by a family physician. At one and two weeks' time patients were contacted by phone regarding symptom resolution and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: We enrolled 47 patients; one patient was excluded. A diagnosis was made in 36. Eighteen had bacterial vaginosis, 16 had candida, three trichomonas, two HSV, one chlamydia; there were eight dual diagnoses. PHQ diagnoses were slightly less common in women without an identified cause for their symptoms. We obtained follow-up data from 45 subjects at one week and 34 subjects at two weeks' time. At two weeks' follow-up, 97% of subjects had complete resolution or improvement of their symptoms. Symptom improvement was equivalent among women with a diagnosis and those without. We estimate 180 subjects would be needed to detect a clinically meaningful difference in PHQ diagnoses. DISCUSSION: Our pilot study did not find an association between psychiatric diagnoses made by the PHQ and unexplained vaginal symptoms. Nearly all patients experienced rapid resolution of symptoms irrespective of whether a diagnosis had been made or not. These findings are limited primarily by the small sample size.