Repurposing Kraft black Liquor as Reductant for Enhanced Lithium-Ion Battery Leaching.

The economic advantages of H2 SO4 make it the acid of choice for the hydrometallurgical treatment of waste lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, to facilitate the full dissolution of the higher valency metal oxides present in the cathode black mass, a suitable reducing agent is required. Herein, the application of industrial black liquor (BL) obtained from the Kraft pulping for papermaking is investigated as a renewable reducing agent for the enhanced leaching of transition metals from LIB powder with H2 SO4 . The addition of acidified BL to H2 SO4 significantly improved the leaching efficiency for a range of LIB cathode chemistries, with the strongest effect observed for manganese-rich active material. Focusing on NMC111 (LiMnx Coy Niz O2 ) material, a linear correlation between the BL concentration and the leaching yield of Mn was obtained, with the best overall leaching efficiencies being achieved for 2.0 mol L-1 H2 SO4 and 50 vol % of BL at 353 K. A quasi-total degradation of oxygenated and aromatic groups from the BL during NMC111 dissolution was observed after leaching, suggesting that these chemical groups are essential for LIB reduction. Finally, the leached transition metals could be easily recovered by pH adjustment and oxalic acid addition, closing the resource loop and fostering resource efficiency.

Separation of natural compounds using eutectic solvent-based biphasic systems and centrifugal partition chromatography.

A study on the formation of ternary biphasic systems composed of heptane, 1-butanol or ethyl acetate and type III or type V deep eutectic solvents based on levulinic acid and choline chloride or thymol was carried. Binodal curves and densities and phase compositions of phases in equilibrium for seven systems are reported. The partition coefficients of six natural compounds, namely quercetin, apigenin, coumarin, ß-ionone, retinol, and α-tocopherol, in these systems were measured. Results show that the influence of choline chloride on the partition coefficients is more significant in systems with 1-butanol or ethyl acetate than previously reported for ethanol, and that the separation of natural compounds is worst when using DES containing thymol instead of choline chloride. Based on these partition coefficients, one system composed of heptane, 1-butanol and the DES choline chloride:levulinic acid at molar ratio 1:3 was selected to be applied in centrifugal partition chromatography, and the results obtained confirmed that it allows a good separation of apigenin, coumarin, ß-ionone and α-tocopherol.

Selective Separation of Vanillic Acid from Other Lignin-Derived Monomers Using Centrifugal Partition Chromatography: The Effect of pH.

In this work, centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) assisted by a polyethylene glycol (PEG)/sodium polyacrylate (NaPA) aqueous biphasic system (ABS) was applied in the separation of five lignin-derived monomers (vanillin, vanillic acid, syringaldehyde, acetovanillone, and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde). The influence of the system pH (unbuffered, pH 5, and pH 12) and added electrolytes (inorganic salts or ionic liquids (ILs)) on the compound partition was initially evaluated. The obtained data revealed that ILs induced more adequate partition coefficients (K < 5) than inorganic salts (K > 5) to enable separation performance in CPC, while alkaline conditions (pH 12) demonstrated a positive impact on the partition of vanillic acid. CPC runs, with buffered ABS at pH 12, enabled a selective separation of vanillic acid from other lignin monomers. Under these conditions, a distinct interaction between the top (PEG-rich) and bottom (NaPA-rich) phases of the ABS with the double deprotonated form of vanillic acid is expected when compared to the remaining lignin monomers (single deprotonated). This is an impactful result that shows the pH to be a crucial factor in the separation of lignin monomer compounds by CPC, while only unbuffered systems have been previously studied in the literature. Finally, the recovery of vanillic acid up to 96% purity and further recycling of ABS phase-forming components were approached as a proof of concept through the combination of ultrafiltration and solid-phase extraction steps.

Identification of azaphilone derivatives of Monascus colorants from Talaromyces amestolkiae and their halochromic properties.

Currently, the ability to produce several kinds of water-soluble red natural colorants makes the genus Talaromyces particularly important to the dye industry, which can be an alternative to the use of harmful synthetic colorants. In this study, colored compounds produced by Talaromyces amestolkiae were extracted, characterized chemically and the color stability of the fermented broth without any extraction procedure was further evaluated over pH variation. Five azaphilones compounds were detected by Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry system, all being complexes of the fatty acid amino-hexanedioic acid and azaphilone Monascus colorants. The color of the fermented broth was stable at a wide range of pH (3-9). Furthermore, T. amestolkiae colorants precipitated through hydrolysis of key chemical groups at extremely acidic (pH 1) and lose red color in extremely basic (pH 13) medium, showing negative halochromism. Nevertheless, these findings enhance the industrial relevance of azaphilone colorants produced by biotechnological process.

In Vitro Effects of Selective COX and LOX Inhibitors and Their Combinations with Antineoplastic Drugs in the Mouse Melanoma Cell Line B16F10.

The constitutive expression or overactivation of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes results in aberrant metabolism of arachidonic acid and poor prognosis in melanoma. Our aim is to compare the in vitro effects of selective COX-1 (acetylsalicylic acid), COX-2 (meloxicam), 5-LOX (MK-886 and AA-861), 12-LOX (baicalein) and 15-LOX (PD-146176) inhibition in terms of proliferation (SRB assay), mitochondrial viability (MTT assay), caspase 3-7 activity (chemiluminescent assay), 2D antimigratory (scratch assay) and synthesis of eicosanoids (EIA) in the B16F10 cell line (single treatments). We also explore their combinatorial pharmacological space with dacarbazine and temozolomide (median effect method). Overall, our results with single treatments show a superior cytotoxic efficacy of selective LOX inhibitors over selective COX inhibitors against B16F10 cells. PD-146176 caused the strongest antiproliferation effect which was accompanied by cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and an >50-fold increase in caspases 3/7 activity. When the selected inhibitors are combined with the antineoplastic drugs, only meloxicam provides clear synergy, with LOX inhibitors mostly antagonizing. These apparent contradictions between single and combination treatments, together with some paradoxical effects observed in the biosynthesis of eicosanoids after FLAP inhibition in short term incubations, warrant further mechanistical in vitro and in vivo scrutiny.

Impact of clinical supervision on job satisfaction and emotional competence of nurses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of implementing the SafeCare clinical supervision model on nurses' job satisfaction and emotional competence profile. METHODS: This is a quasi-experimental study, with a sample of 28 nurses from a hospital in northern Portugal. A self-administered questionnaire was applied, used as pre and post-test, which included: sociodemographic and professional characterization; "Job Satisfaction Scale"; and "Veiga Emotional Competence Scale". We conducted descriptive statistical analysis and the Wilcoxon Test. RESULTS: A significant decrease in the nurses' satisfaction with hierarchical superior was observed in the post-test. No significant differences were found in the nurses' job satisfaction and emotional competence after the implementation of the SafeCare Model. CONCLUSION: The SafeCare Model needs improvement, suggesting increasing the amount of training time administered to nurses and strengthening the healthcare institution's link to the Model.

Encapsulation of Pseudomonas libanensis in alginate beads to sustain bacterial viability and inoculation of Vigna unguiculata under drought stress.

Conventional agricultural practices based on the application of synthetic fertilizers are increasingly considered as unsustainable. Under a forecasted scenario of drought for the next decades, there is a global demand for innovative and sustainable approaches to ameliorate plant performance. Here, encapsulating beneficial microbes (BMs) to promote plant growth is gaining attention. This study evaluates bacterial encapsulation using polymeric beads of alginate, testing the survival of Pseudomonas libanensis TR1 stored up to 90 days. Produced beads were subjected to different treatments (fresh, air-dried and pulverized), which resulted in a variable size range (1200-860 µm). After storage, bacterial viability was maintained, and air-dried beads displayed a higher number of colony-forming units (2 × 107). Then, a glasshouse experiment investigated the drought resistance (plant growth, biomass, and photosynthetic responses) of Vigna unguiculata plants inoculated with these alginate beads. After 10 days of complete water restriction, turgidity and relative water content of V. unguiculata were still high under drought stress (> 80%). Leaf and root growth and biomass did not evidence significant changes after water restriction even after P. libanensis inoculation. Plant photosynthetic parameters (stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate, leaf CO2 concentration, or F v'/F m') were slightly affected due to inoculation but the level of stress-induced minimal plant responses. In our experiment, water restriction might have been insufficient to downregulate photosynthetic efficiency and reduce plant growth, limiting our understanding of the role of P. libanensis inoculation in alleviating drought stress in V. unguiculata, but highlighting the important relationship between the stress level and agricultural benefits of using encapsulated BMs.

Supervisão clínica em enfermagem para otimizar a avaliação do autocuidado / Supervisión clínica de enfermería para optimizar la evaluación del autocuidado / Clinical supervision in nursing to optimize self-care assessment

RESUMO Objetivo avaliar a concordância no grau de dependência do autocuidado atribuído pelo perito, enfermeiros e registros, identificando estratégias de supervisão clínica que os enfermeiros implementassem para otimizar a avaliação do autocuidado Método estudo descritivo-exploratório, quantitativo, com 108 utentes e 44 enfermeiros de um hospital do norte de Portugal. Em 2017, aplicou-se o "Instrumento de Avaliação do Autocuidado" e o "Questionário de Avaliação da Frequência de Estratégias de Supervisão Clínica em Enfermagem". Realizou-se análise estatística descritiva e calculou-se o coeficiente de concordância Resultados a concordância entre perito e enfermeiros na avaliação do grau de dependência do autocuidado alimentar-se e posicionar-se é fraca, mas moderada no autocuidado higiene. O "feedback", "formação contínua" e "apoio" são as estratégias que os enfermeiros mais gostariam de implementar Conclusão é essencial que as organizações de saúde avaliem a concepção dos cuidados prestados, e identifiquem estratégias de supervisão clínica, de forma a potenciar sua melhoria

RESUMEN Objetivo evaluar la concordancia del grado de dependencia del autocuidado adjudicado por el experto, las enfermeras y los registros, identificando las estrategias de supervisión clínica que los enfermeros aplicarían para optimizar la evaluación del autocuidado Método es un estudio descriptivo-exploratorio y cuantitativo llevado a cabo entre 108 usuarios y 44 enfermeros de un hospital del norte de Portugal. En 2017 se aplicó el "Instrumento para la Evaluación del Autocuidado" y el "Cuestionario para la Evaluación de la Frecuencia de las Estrategias de Supervisión Clínica en Enfermería". Se realizó un análisis estadístico descriptivo y se calculó el coeficiente de concordancia Resultados la concordancia entre el experto y los enfermeros respecto a la valoración del grado de dependencia del autocuidado alimentarse y posicionarse es débil, aunque moderada en el autocuidado de higiene. El "feedback", la "formación continua" y el "apoyo" son las estrategias que más les gustaría implantar a los enfermeros Conclusión es imprescindible que las organizaciones de salud evalúen la concepción de los cuidados prestados e identifiquen estrategias de supervisión clínica, para potenciar su mejora

ABSTRACT Objective to assess agreement on the degree of self-care dependence attributed by the expert, nurses and computer records, identifying clinical supervision strategies that nurses implement to optimize self-care assessment Method descriptive-exploratory, quantitative study with 108 users and 44 nurses of a hospital in northern Portugal. In 2017, the "Self-Care Assessment Tool" and the "Frequency Assessment Questionnaire of Clinical Supervision Strategies in Nursing" were applied. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed and the coefficient of agreement was calculated Results the agreement between experts and nurses in the assessment of the degree of dependence on self-care on eating and positioning is weak, but moderate on self-care and hygiene. "Feedback", "continuous training" and "support" are the strategies that nurses would most like to implement Conclusion it is essential for health organizations to assess the conception of care provided, and identify clinical supervision strategies, in order to enhance its improvement

Impacto da supervisão clínica em enfermagem na avaliação e intervenção no autocuidado / Impacto de la supervisión clínica de enfermería en la evaluación e intervención del autocuidado / Impact of clinical supervision in nursing on self-care evaluation and intervention

Objetivo: avaliar concordância, relacionada ao grau de dependência no autocuidado, entre pesquisador, enfermeiros e prontuários antes e após implementação do Modelo SafeCare e avaliar as intervenções de enfermagem relativas ao autocuidado prescritas, antes e após implementação do Modelo SafeCare. Método: estudo quase experimental. Para coleta dos dados, em 2017 e 2019, utilizou-se instrumento de avaliação do autocuidado antes e após implementação do Modelo de supervisão clínica em enfermagem (SafeCare). Resultados: participaram 216 pacientes. A concordância entre pesquisador e enfermeiros aumentou do pré-teste para o pós-teste nos autocuidados higiene (k=0,79), alimentar-se (k=0,73) e posicionar-se (k=0,79). Nas intervenções de enfermagem, verificou-se existência de concordância entre todos os avaliadores no pós-teste, ao contrário do pré-teste em que não existiu concordância na intervenção "incentivar o autocuidado: higiene" entre pesquisador e enfermeiros/prontuários. Conclusão: a concordância entre formulários preenchidos pelos grupos individualmente aumentou significativamente na maioria dos autocuidados avaliados e das intervenções prescritas após implementação do Modelo SafeCare.

Objetivo: conocer los dilemas éticos experimentados en la práctica del equipo de salud en el cuidado de la persona en tratamiento oncológico. Método: estudio cuasi-experimental, en el que se utilizó, para la recolección de datos entre 2017 y 2019, un instrumento para evaluar el autocuidado antes y después de la implementación del Modelo de supervisión clínica en enfermería (SafeCare). Resultados: participaron 216 pacientes. La concordancia entre el investigador y las enfermeras aumentó desde la prueba previa a la prueba posterior en los cuidados personales: higienizarse (k=0,79), alimentarse (k=0,73) y posicionarse (k=0,79). En las intervenciones de enfermería, hubo acuerdo entre todos los calificadores en la prueba posterior, a diferencia de la prueba previa, en la que no hubo acuerdo en la intervención "fomento del autocuidado: higienización" entre investigador y enfermeros/registros. Conclusión: los profesionales de la salud experimentan dilemas éticos a diario y, en su mayor parte, tienen conocimiento sobre ellos, aunque se ha encontrado ambigüedad entre los términos conflicto ético y dilema ético.

Objective: to assess the agreement between researcher, nurses and medical records in relation to self-care dependency levels before and after the implementation of the SafeCare Model and to evaluate the nursing interventions related to self-care provided before and after the implementation of the SafeCare Model. Method: quasi-experimental study. For data collection, in 2017 and 2019, a self-care assessment instrument was used before and after the implementation of the model of clinical supervision in nursing (SafeCare). Results: 216 patients participated in the study. Agreement between researcher and nurses increased from pre-test to post-test in hygiene (k=0.79), self-feeding (k=0.73) and self-transferring (k=0.79). In nursing interventions, there was agreement between all evaluators in the post-test, unlike the pre-test, when there was no agreement between researcher and nurses/medical records in the intervention "promoting self-care: hygiene. Conclusion: the agreement between forms filled out individually by the groups increased significantly in most of the self-care measures assessed and, in the interventions, provided after the implementation of the SafeCare Model.

Impact of clinical supervision on job satisfaction and emotional competence of nurses / Impacto de la supervisión clínica en la satisfacción laboral y en la competencia emocional de los enfermeros / Impacto da supervisão clínica na satisfação profissional e na competência emocional dos enfermeiros

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the impact of implementing the SafeCare clinical supervision model on nurses' job satisfaction and emotional competence profile. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study, with a sample of 28 nurses from a hospital in northern Portugal. A self-administered questionnaire was applied, used as pre and post-test, which included: sociodemographic and professional characterization; "Job Satisfaction Scale"; and "Veiga Emotional Competence Scale". We conducted descriptive statistical analysis and the Wilcoxon Test. Results: A significant decrease in the nurses' satisfaction with hierarchical superior was observed in the post-test. No significant differences were found in the nurses' job satisfaction and emotional competence after the implementation of the SafeCare Model. Conclusion: The SafeCare Model needs improvement, suggesting increasing the amount of training time administered to nurses and strengthening the healthcare institution's link to the Model.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Evaluar el impacto de la aplicación del Modelo de supervisión clínica SafeCare en la satisfacción laboral y en el perfil de competencia emocional de los enfermeros. Métodos: Se trata de un estudio cuasi experimental, realizado con una muestra de 28 enfermeros de un hospital del norte de Portugal. Se aplicó un cuestionario autocompletado como pre y pos test, que incluía la caracterización sociodemográfica y profesional, la "Escala de Satisfacción Laboral" y la "Escala Veiga de Competencia Emocional". Se llevaron a cabo análisis estadísticos descriptivos y la prueba de Wilcoxon. Resultados: Fue posible observar una disminución significativa de la satisfacción de los enfermeros con su superior jerárquico en la prueba posterior al test. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la satisfacción laboral y en la competencia emocional de los enfermeros tras la aplicación del modelo SafeCare. Conclusión: Es necesario perfeccionar el Modelo SafeCare, aumentando la cantidad de formación impartida a los enfermeros y reforzando el vínculo de la institución sanitaria con el Modelo.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto da implementação do Modelo de supervisão clínica SafeCare na satisfação profissional e no perfil de competência emocional dos enfermeiros. Métodos: Estudo quase-experimental, com uma amostra de 28 enfermeiros de um hospital do norte de Portugal. Aplicou-se um questionário de autopreenchimento, utilizado como pré e pós-teste, que engloba caracterização sociodemográfica e profissional, "Escala da Satisfação Profissional" e "Escala Veiga de Competência Emocional". Realizaram-se análise estatística descritiva e Teste de Wilcoxon. Resultados: Observou-se uma diminuição significativa na satisfação dos enfermeiros com o superior hierárquico no pós-teste. Não se verificaram diferenças significativas na satisfação profissional e na competência emocional dos enfermeiros após a implementação do Modelo SafeCare. Conclusão: É necessário aperfeiçoar o Modelo SafeCare, sugerindo que se aumente o tempo de formação administrada aos enfermeiros e fortaleça o vínculo da instituição de saúde ao Modelo.

Implementação de um modelo de supervisão clínica em enfermagem - modelo safecare / Implementation of a nursing clinical supervision model - SAFECARE model

The actual context, marked by the high cost of health care associated with technological advances, the increase in the workload of health professionals and the aging of the population with multiple chronic diseases. There are concerns raised by health organizations regarding the quality of care, with emphasis on actions aimed to the continuous quality improvement. The effects of clinical supervision on quality of care defined as a target area by the World Health Organization are a key aspect in improving quality. The literature shows that there is no model of nursing clinical supervision capable to respond to the actual context needs. The objective of this exploratory, descriptive and longitudinal study was to implement a contextualized nursing clinical supervision model, SafeCare model, in order to identify the contributions of its implementation in the indicators sensitive to nursing clinical supervision. The study was conducted in the surgery department of a health care institution and the nurses of the surgery department composed the sample. With this article we intend to disseminate the results of the implementation of the SafeCare model and to prove that the implementation of a contextualized Nursing clinical supervision model based on nurses' needs, SafeCare Model, has contributed to obtaining higher quality and safer care for clients

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Using microbial seed coating for improving cowpea productivity under a low-input agricultural system.

BACKGROUND: Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have the ability to enhance the growth, fitness, and quality of various agricultural crops, including cowpea. However, field trials confirming the benefits of microbes in large-scale applications using economically viable and efficient inoculation methods are still scarce. Microbial seed coating has a great potential for large-scale agriculture through the application of reduced amounts of PGPR and AM fungi inocula. Thus, in this study, the impact of seed coating with PGPR, Pseudomonas libanensis TR1 and AM fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis (single or multiple isolates) on grain yield and nutrient content of cowpea under low-input field conditions was evaluated. RESULTS: Seed coating with P. libanensis + multiple isolates of R. irregularis (coatPMR) resulted in significant increases in shoot dry weight (76%), and in the number of pods and seeds per plant (52% and 56%, respectively) and grain yield (56%), when compared with non-inoculated control plants. However, seed coating with P. libanensis + R. irregularis single-isolate (coatPR) did not influence cowpea grain yield. Grain lipid content was significantly higher (25%) in coatPMR plants in comparison with control. Higher soil organic matter and lower pH were observed in the coatPMR treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that cowpea field productivity can be improved by seed coating with PGPR and multiple AM fungal isolates under low-input agricultural systems. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

O tempo e o objeto na psicanálise / The time and the object in psychoanalysis / El tiempo y el objeto em el psicoanálisis

Neste artigo, discutimos a noção de tempo a partir da construção do objeto em psicanálise. Percorremos os textos da literatura freudiana, onde encontramos uma tentativa de temporalização da experiência psicanalítica, trazendo a noção do a posteriori na qual Freud inscreve a experiência com o tempo na psicanálise. Na leitura de Lacan, o tempo será modalizado em três momentos lógicos e destaca-se o tempo inaugural de entrada na linguagem, condição primeira para a psicanálise. A investigação sobre o objeto será o vetor de orientação de nosso percurso sobre o tempo em uma psicanálise. Na elaboração freudiana, o inconsciente é atemporal e a satisfação buscada pela pulsão não cessará mesmo com as dificuldades encontradas na realidade. O objeto será a via da satisfação do sujeito e o ponto de ancoragem do seu desejo. Estará em jogo a constituição do sujeito a partir do narcisismo, do qual um primeiro tempo se inscreve no investimento da libido no próprio corpo, tomado como objeto, na própria imagem, uma alienação fundante que antecede a entrada do sujeito na linguagem. Freud nos fala do encontro do sujeito com o objeto; Lacan, por outro lado, nos mostra um percurso em que o objeto terá de ser, antes, construído. Nomeia o objeto a, uma construção lógica que diz do furo, do encontro com a falta do objeto. O objeto a é definido como um objeto não nomeável, um objeto presente-ausente, um objeto causa do desejo. Uma relação do sujeito com a falta do objeto se delineia e se inscreve durante o percurso de uma psicanálise.

In this article, we discuss the notion of time from the construction of the object in psychoanalysis. We go through the texts of the Freudian literature, where we find an attempt to temporalize the psychoanalytic experience, bringing the notion of a posteriori in which Freud inscribes experience with time in psychoanalysis. In Lacan's reading, time will be modified in three logical moments and the inaugural time of entry into language, the first condition for psychoanalysis, stands out. In this article, research on the object will be the guiding vector of our journey over time in a psychoanalysis. In the Freudian elaboration, the unconscious is timeless and the satisfaction sought by the drive will not cease even with the difficulties encountered in reality. The object will be the way of the satisfaction of the subject and the anchoring point of his desire. It will be at stake the constitution of the subject from narcissism, where a first time is inscribed in the investment of the libido in the body itself, taken as an object, in the image itself, a foundational alienation that precedes the entry of the subject into language. Freud tells us about the subject's encounter with the object; Lacan, on the other hand, shows us a course where the object must first be constructed. It names object a, a logical construction that says of the hole, of the encounter with the lack of the object. Object a is defined as a non-nameable object, a present-absent object, a cause object of desire. A relation of the subject to the lack of the object delineates and is inscribed during the course of a psychoanalysis.

En este artículo, discutimos la noción de tiempo a partir de la construcción del objeto en psicoanálisis. Recorrimos los textos de la literatura freudiana, donde encontramos un intento de temporalización de la experiencia psicoanalítica, trayendo la noción del a posteriori en la que Freud inscribe la experiencia con el tiempo en el psicoanálisis. En la lectura de Lacan, el tiempo será cambiado en tres momentos lógicos y se destaca el tiempo inaugural de entrada en el lenguaje, condición primera para el psicoanálisis. En este artículo, la investigación sobre el objeto será el vector de orientación de nuestro recorrido sobre el tiempo en un psicoanálisis. En la elaboración freudiana, el inconsciente es atemporal y la satisfacción buscada por la pulsión no cesará aun con las dificultades encontradas en la realidad. El objeto será la vía de la satisfacción del sujeto y el punto de anclaje de su deseo. En el momento en que el primer hombre se inscribe en la inversión de la libido en el propio cuerpo, tomando como objeto, en la propia imagen, una alienación fundante que antecede a la entrada del sujeto en el lenguaje. Freud nos habla del encuentro del sujeto con el objeto; Lacan, por otro lado, nos muestra un recorrido donde el objeto tendrá que ser, antes, construido. Nombra el objeto a, una construcción lógica que dice del agujero, del encuentro con la falta del objeto. El objeto a se define como un objeto no nombrado, un objeto presente-ausente, un objeto causa del deseo. Una relación del sujeto con la falta del objeto se delinea y se inscribe durante el recorrido de un psicoanálisis.

Seed Coating: A Tool for Delivering Beneficial Microbes to Agricultural Crops.

Plant beneficial microbes (PBMs), such as plant growth-promoting bacteria, rhizobia, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and Trichoderma, can reduce the use of agrochemicals and increase plant yield, nutrition, and tolerance to biotic-abiotic stresses. Yet, large-scale applications of PBM have been hampered by the high amounts of inoculum per plant or per cultivation area needed for successful colonization and consequently the economic feasibility. Seed coating, a process that consists in covering seeds with low amounts of exogenous materials, is gaining attention as an efficient delivery system for PBM. Microbial seed coating comprises the use of a binder, in some cases a filler, mixed with inocula, and can be done using simple mixing equipment (e.g., cement mixer) or more specialized/sophisticated apparatus (e.g., fluidized bed). Binders/fillers can be used to extend microbial survival. The most reported types of seed coating are seed dressing, film coating, and pelleting. Tested in more than 50 plant species with seeds of different dimensions, forms, textures, and germination types (e.g., cereals, vegetables, fruits, pulses, and other legumes), seed coating has been studied using various species of plant growth-promoting bacteria, rhizobia, Trichoderma, and to a lesser extent mycorrhizal fungi. Most of the studies regarding PBM applied via seed coating are aimed at promoting crop growth, yield, and crop protection against pathogens. Studies have shown that coating seeds with PBM can assist crops in improving seedling establishment and germination or achieving high yields and food quality, under reduced chemical fertilization. The right combination of biological control agents applied via seed coating can be a powerful tool against a wide number of diseases and pathogens. Less frequently, studies report seed coating being used for adaptation and protection of crops under abiotic stresses. Notwithstanding the promising results, there are still challenges mainly related with the scaling up from the laboratory to the field and proper formulation, including efficient microbial combinations and coating materials that can result in extended shelf-life of both seeds and coated PBM. These limitations need to be addressed and overcome in order to allow a wider use of seed coating as a cost-effective delivery method for PBM in sustainable agricultural systems.

Increased protein content of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria under water deficit conditions.

BACKGROUND: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a widely cropped pulse and an important source of proteins for humans. In Mediterranean regions it is predicted that drought will reduce soil moisture and become a major issue in agricultural practice. Nitrogen (N)-fixing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have the potential to improve plant growth and drought tolerance. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of N-fixing bacteria and AM fungi on the growth, grain yield and protein content of chickpea under water deficit. RESULTS: Plants inoculated with Mesorhizobium mediterraneum or Rhizophagus irregularis without water deficit and inoculated with M. mediterraneum under moderate water deficit had significant increases in biomass. Inoculation with microbial symbionts brought no benefits to chickpea under severe water deficit. However, under moderate water deficit grain crude protein was increased by 13%, 17% and 22% in plants inoculated with M. mediterraneum, R. irregularis and M. mediterraneum + R. irregularis, respectively. CONCLUSION: Inoculation with N-fixing bacteria and AM fungi has the potential to benefit agricultural production of chickpea under water deficit conditions and to contribute to increased grain protein content. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Seed coating with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as an ecotechnologicalapproach for sustainable agricultural production of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

The exploitation of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi has become of great interest in agriculture due to their potential roles in reducing the need for agrochemicals, while improving plant growth and nutrition. Nevertheless, the application of AM fungi by dispersing inocula in granular form to open agricultural fields is not feasible because nontargeted spreading of inocula over large surface areas results in high cost per plant. Seed coating has the potential to significantly reduce the amount of inoculum needed, resulting in cost reduction and increased efficiency. The aim of this study was to assess whether seed coating with AM fungal inoculum is a feasible delivery system for production of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Wheat seeds were coated with inoculum of Rhizophagus irregularis BEG140 and grown under different fertilization conditions: (1) none, (2) partial, or (3) complete. Data indicated that mycorrhizal inoculation via seed coating significantly increased the dry weight of shoot and seed spikes of wheat associated with reduced fertilization. Assessment of nutritional status of wheat showed that plants inoculated with R. irregularis via seed coating displayed enhanced stem concentrations of potassium (K), sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn). There were no significant differences in root colonization between plants conventionally inoculated with R. irregularis in soil and those inoculated via seed coating. Seed coating with AM fungi may be as effective as conventional soil inoculation and may contribute to reduce the utilization of chemical fertilizers. The application of AM via seed coating is proposed as an ecotechnological approach for sustainable agricultural wheat production.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are an alternative to the application of chemical fertilizer in the production of the medicinal and aromatic plant Coriandrum sativum L.

The widespread use of agrochemicals is detrimental to the environment and may exert harmful effects on human health. The consumer demand for organic food plants has been increasing. There is thus a rising need for alternatives to agrochemicals that can foster sustainable plant production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus as an alternative to application of chemical fertilizer for improving growth performance of the medicinal and aromatic plant Coriandrum sativum. Plants were inoculated with the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis BEG163 and/or supplemented with a commercial chemical fertilizer (Plant Marvel, Nutriculture Bent Special) in agricultural soil. Plant growth, nutrition, and development of AM fungus were assessed. Plants inoculated with R. irregularis and those supplemented with chemical fertilizer displayed significantly improved growth performances when compared with controls. There were no significant differences in total fresh weight between plants inoculated with R. irregularis or those supplemented with chemical fertilizer. Leaf chlorophyll a + b (82%), shoot nitrogen (44%), phosphorus (254%), and potassium (27%) concentrations increased in plants inoculated with R. irregularis compared to controls. Application of chemical fertilizer inhibited root mycorrhizal colonization and the length of the extraradical mycelium of R. irregularis. Inoculation with R. irregularis was equally or more efficient than application of chemical fertilizer in promoting growth and nutrition of C. sativum. AM fungi may thus contribute to improve biologically based production of food plants and reduce the dependence on agrochemicals in agriculture.

Inoculation with Metal-Mobilizing Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium Bacillus sp. SC2b and Its Role in Rhizoremediation.

A plant growth-promoting bacterial (PGPB) strain SC2b was isolated from the rhizosphere of Sedum plumbizincicola grown in lead (Pb)/zinc (Zn) mine soils and characterized as Bacillus sp. based on (1) morphological and biochemical characteristics and (2) partial 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing analysis. Strain SC2b exhibited high levels of resistance to cadmium (Cd) (300 mg/L), Zn (730 mg/L), and Pb (1400 mg/L). This strain also showed various plant growth-promoting (PGP) features such as utilization of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, solubilization of phosphate, and production of indole-3-acetic acid and siderophore. The strain mobilized high concentration of heavy metals from soils and exhibited different biosorption capacity toward the tested metal ions. Strain SC2b was further assessed for PGP activity by phytagar assay with a model plant Brassica napus. Inoculation of SC2b increased the biomass and vigor index of B. napus. Considering such potential, a pot experiment was conducted to assess the effects of inoculating the metal-resistant PGPB SC2b on growth and uptake of Cd, Zn and Pb by S. plumbizincicola in metal-contaminated agricultural soils. Inoculation with SC2b elevated the shoot and root biomass and leaf chlorophyll content of S. plumbizincicola. Similarly, plants inoculated with SC2b demonstrated markedly higher Cd and Zn accumulation in the root and shoot system, indicating that SC2b enhanced Cd and Zn uptake by S. plumbizincicola through metal mobilization or plant-microbial mediated changes in chemical or biological soil properties. Data demonstrated that the PGPB Bacillus sp. SC2b might serve as a future biofertilizer and an effective metal mobilizing bioinoculant for rhizoremediation of metal polluted soils.

The hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola harbors metal-resistant endophytic bacteria that improve its phytoextraction capacity in multi-metal contaminated soil.

Endophyte-assisted phytoremediation has recently been suggested as a successful approach for ecological restoration of metal contaminated soils, however little information is available on the influence of endophytic bacteria on the phytoextraction capacity of metal hyperaccumulating plants in multi-metal polluted soils. The aims of our study were to isolate and characterize metal-resistant and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) utilizing endophytic bacteria from tissues of the newly discovered Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola and to examine if these endophytic bacterial strains could improve the efficiency of phytoextraction of multi-metal contaminated soils. Among a collection of 42 metal resistant bacterial strains isolated from the tissues of S. plumbizincicola grown on Pb/Zn mine tailings, five plant growth promoting endophytic bacterial strains (PGPE) were selected due to their ability to promote plant growth and to utilize ACC as the sole nitrogen source. The five isolates were identified as Bacillus pumilus E2S2, Bacillus sp. E1S2, Bacillus sp. E4S1, Achromobacter sp. E4L5 and Stenotrophomonas sp. E1L and subsequent testing revealed that they all exhibited traits associated with plant growth promotion, such as production of indole-3-acetic acid and siderophores and solubilization of phosphorus. These five strains showed high resistance to heavy metals (Cd, Zn and Pb) and various antibiotics. Further, inoculation of these ACC utilizing strains significantly increased the concentrations of water extractable Cd and Zn in soil. Moreover, a pot experiment was conducted to elucidate the effects of inoculating metal-resistant ACC utilizing strains on the growth of S. plumbizincicola and its uptake of Cd, Zn and Pb in multi-metal contaminated soils. Out of the five strains, B. pumilus E2S2 significantly increased root (146%) and shoot (17%) length, fresh (37%) and dry biomass (32%) of S. plumbizincicola as well as plant Cd uptake (43%), whereas Bacillus sp. E1S2 significantly enhanced the accumulation of Zn (18%) in plants compared with non-inoculated controls. The inoculated strains also showed high levels of colonization in rhizosphere and plant tissues. Results demonstrate the potential to improve phytoextraction of soils contaminated with multiple heavy metals by inoculating metal hyperaccumulating plants with their own selected functional endophytic bacterial strains.

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. - a phytochemical and pharmacological review.

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Hs, roselle; Malvaceae) has been used traditionally as a food, in herbal drinks, in hot and cold beverages, as a flavouring agent in the food industry and as a herbal medicine. In vitro and in vivo studies as well as some clinical trials provide some evidence mostly for phytochemically poorly characterised Hs extracts. Extracts showed antibacterial, anti-oxidant, nephro- and hepato-protective, renal/diuretic effect, effects on lipid metabolism (anti-cholesterol), anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive effects among others. This might be linked to strong antioxidant activities, inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE), and direct vaso-relaxant effect or calcium channel modulation. Phenolic acids (esp. protocatechuic acid), organic acid (hydroxycitric acid and hibiscus acid) and anthocyanins (delphinidin-3-sambubioside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside) are likely to contribute to the reported effects. More well designed controlled clinical trials are needed which use phytochemically characterised preparations. Hs has an excellent safety and tolerability record.