Genome Wide DNA Copy Number Analysis of Serous Type Ovarian Carcinomas Identifies Genetic Markers Predictive of Clinical Outcome

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women. Ovarian cancers display a high degree of complex genetic alterations involving many oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Analysis of the association between genetic alterations and clinical endpoints such as survival will lead to improved patient management via genetic stratification of patients into clinically relevant subgroups. In this study, we aim to define subgroups of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas that differ with respect to prognosis and overall survival. Genome-wide DNA copy number alterations (CNAs) were measured in 72 clinically annotated, high-grade serous tumors using high-resolution oligonucleotide arrays. Two clinically annotated, independent cohorts were used for validation. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of copy number data derived from the 72 patient cohort resulted in two clusters with significant difference in progression free survival (PFS) and a marginal difference in overall survival (OS). GISTIC analysis of the two clusters identified altered regions unique to each cluster. Supervised clustering of two independent large cohorts of high-grade serous tumors using the classification scheme derived from the two initial clusters validated our results and identified 8 genomic regions that are distinctly different among the subgroups. These 8 regions map to 8p21.3, 8p23.2, 12p12.1, 17p11.2, 17p12, 19q12, 20q11.21 and 20q13.12; and harbor potential oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that are likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian carcinoma. We have identified a set of genetic alterations that could be used for stratification of high-grade serous tumors into clinically relevant treatment subgroups

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CRUCIAL SOIL VARIABLES AND SOIL MICROBIAL BIOMASS IN ANNUAL AND PERMANENT FARMING CULTIVATION SYSTEMS IN CENTRAL EUROPE

Soil is the key resource for agriculture and horticulture. Most of our food production depends on this resource. The aim of the research is to evaluate the state of the soils and their fertility in fruit and vegetable field cultivation in central Europe. To achieve this goal, the status of 77 soil samples from 18 pilot farms was recorded. We investigated the relationship between different soil properties and analysed the influence of two types of field cultivation on soil microbial biomass. We differentiate between permanent cultures (apple orchards, PF) and yearly changing vegetable and arable cultures (AF). The results obtained indicate differences in the soil properties. Deficits regarding soil fertility could be observed. Soil pH values range from 3.9 to 7.5 in arable crops and from 5.3 to 7.3 in apple crops. The fluctuation range of the soil chemical and physical parameters is larger in the soils of the annual crops. No significant difference could be detected between the content of organic matter; both the total microbial biomass and the bacterial and fungal biomass in the soil organic carbon (SOC) were significantly higher in permanent crops. A high negative correlation was found between microbial biomass and sand content. The correlation analysis showed that SOC and total nitrogen (TN) were strongly correlated (R2 = 0.71). Pb and Cu show a negative correlation with sand but a positive correlation with adsorption on silt and clay. We suggest that the soil organic matter was the main reason for the increase in microbial biomass. It influences the soil physicochemical properties, especially nutrient availability and heavy metal content. Based on the determined current status, the derivation of individual area-specific measures should maintain and increase soil fertility and biodiversity. These measures are to be implemented in pilot farms, and their success in improving and maintaining good soil vitality is to be analysed and documented in the future

Kinder- und Jugendhilfereport 2018. Eine kennzahlenbasierte Analyse

Der Kinder- und Jugendhilfereport 2018, die zentrale Publikation der Arbeitsstelle Kinder- und Jugendhilfestatistik (AKJStat), beschreibt umfassend die aktuelle Situation und die neuere Entwicklung der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe. Grundlage sind die Daten der amtlichen Kinder- und Jugendhilfestatistik. Erstmals wird die Kinder- und Jugendhilfe auf der Basis von Kennzahlen dargestellt und analysiert. Der Report ermöglicht einen schnellen und zuverlässigen Überblick über zentrale Arbeitsfelder und wichtige Aufgabengebiete. (DIPF/Orig.