Not just passengers, but co-pilots! Non-rhizobial nodule-associated bacteria promote cowpea growth and symbiosis with (brady)rhizobia.

Aims: To isolate and characterize non-rhizobial nodule-associated bacteria (NAB) from cowpea root-nodules regarding their performance of plant-growth-promoting mechanisms and their ability to enhance cowpea growth and symbiosis when co-inoculated with bradyrhizobia.

Methods And Results: Sixteen NAB were isolated, identified, and in vitro evaluated for plant growth promotion traits. The ability to promote cowpea growth was analyzed when co-inoculated with Bradyrhizobium pachyrhizi BR 3262 in sterile and non-sterile substrates.

Elite Bradyrhizobium strains boost biological nitrogen fixation and peanut yield in tropical drylands.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important crop for the family-based systems in the tropics, mainly in Brazil. In the Brazilian drylands, peanuts are cropped in low technological systems, and cheap and efficient technologies are needed to improve crop yield and sustainability.

Assessment of cyclin D1 overexpression as a prognostic factor in soft tissue sarcomas: role of laparoscopy and core needle biopsy.

Background: This study was designed to test cyclin D1 as a prognostic marker in patients with soft tissue sarcomas (STS), and to evaluate the usefulness of laparoscopy for determining cyclin D1 overexpression.

Methods: The records of 62 patients with STS were collected: 28 with retroperitoneal STS (RSTS) and 34 with extremity STS (ESTS). A total of 51 patients underwent surgical resection, whereas 11 did not undergo surgery because of advanced tumor stage.

[Video-assisted surgery of the thyroid: outlines of the technique and analysis of the results].

Introduction: The authors described the technique of the video-assisted approach to thyroid surgery (MIVAT: minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy), selection criteria of the patients and evaluated the technical feasibility of this method.

Materials And Methods: Patients selection is based on many parameters. Exclusion criteria are: nodules greater than 35 mm, presence of thyroiditis, thyroid volume greater than 20 mL, previous neck surgery and irradiation.

Magnetic resonance imaging and abdominal wall hernias in aortic surgery.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of abdominal wall hernias (AWH) in patients operated on for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) compared with patients treated for aortoiliac occlusive disease. The efficacy of MRI in early diagnosis of AWH also was studied.

Study Design: One hundred fourteen patients operated for either AAA (51 patients, group A) or aortoiliac occlusive disease (63 patients, group B) constitute the study.