Impact of dairy manure addition on soil nutrients in northeast and south central Kansas

Sixty four percent of the fields (14 of 22) in northeast and south central Kansas would be able to apply dairy manure on a nitrogen basis if the current swine manure application regulations were adopted. Due to high phosphorus levels in some fields, two of the 11 fields in northeast Kansas could not have any manure applied to them. Two other fields in northeast and four fields in south central Kansas would have to limit manure application rates to annual phosphorus required by the crops. Our results indicate minimal accumulation of nitrogen and potassium in the soil profile.; Dairy Day, 2001, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2001

Impact of secondary gas-phase reactions on microcrystalline silicon solar cells deposited at high rate

The role of secondary gas-phase reactions during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of microcrystalline silicon is a controversial subject. In this paper, we show that the enhancement of such reactions is associated with the improvement of material properties of absorber layers deposited at high constant rate. We detect powder, a product of secondary gas-phase reactions, via infrared laser absorption spectroscopy, laser light scattering, and optical emission spectroscopy. As the powder formation is increased, we measure a systematic improvement of device performance. This demonstrates that secondary gas-phase reactions are not detrimental to the material quality of microcrystalline silicon deposited at high rate. © 2010 American Institute of Physics

Update of the Swiss guidelines on post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.

Lyme borreliosis is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection, which responds well to antibiotic therapy in the overwhelming majority of cases. However, despite adequate antibiotic treatment some patients report persisting symptoms which are commonly summarised as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). In 2005, the Swiss Society of Infectious Diseases published a case definition for PTLDS. We aimed to review the scientific literature with a special emphasis on the last 10 years, questioning whether the definitions from 2005 are still valid in the light of current knowledge. Furthermore, we describe the clinical history of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the estimated prevalence of PTLDS, the possible pathogenesis of PTLDS, and treatment options with an emphasis on clinical studies. In summary, we were unable to find a scientific reason for modification of the PTLDS definitions published in 2005. Thus, the diagnostic criteria remain unchanged, namely documented clinical and laboratory evidence of previous infection with B. burgdorferi, a completed course of appropriate antibiotic therapy, symptoms including fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia, cognitive dysfunction or radicular pain persisting for >6 months, a plausible timely association between documented B. burgdorferi infection and onset of symptoms (i.e., persistent or recurrent symptoms that began within 6 months of completion of a recommended antibiotic therapy for early or late Lyme borreliosis), and exclusion of other somatic or psychiatric causes of symptoms. The main therapeutic options remain cognitive behavioural therapy and low-impact aerobic exercise programmes. Growing and unequivocal evidence confirms that prolonged or repeated antibiotic therapy for PTLDS is not beneficial, but potentially harmful and therefore contraindicated. The Guidelines of the Swiss Society of Infectious Diseases offer an evidence based, diagnostic and therapeutic framework for physicians caring for patients suffering from presumptive PTLDS in Switzerland

Consensus of German Transplant Centers on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Fanconi Anemia

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is currently the only curative therapy for the severe hematopoietic complications associated with Fanconi anemia (FA). In Germany, it is estimated that 10–15 transplants are performed annually for FA. However, because FA is a DNA repair disorder, standard conditioning regimens confer a high risk of excessive regimen-related toxicities and mortality, and reduced intensity regimens are linked with graft failure in some FA patients. Moreover, development of graft-versus-host disease is a major contributing factor for secondary solid tumors. The relative rarity of the disorder limits HSCT experience at any single center. Consensus meetings were convened to develop a national approach for HSCT in FA. This manuscript outlines current experience and knowledge about HSCT in FA and, based on this analysis, general recommendations reached at these meetings

Somatosensory Evoked Potentials suppression due to remifentanil during spinal operations; a prospective clinical study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) are being used for the investigation and monitoring of the integrity of neural pathways during surgical procedures. Intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring is affected by the type of anesthetic agents. Remifentanil is supposed to produce minimal or no changes in SSEP amplitude and latency. This study aims to investigate whether high doses of remifentanil influence the SSEP during spinal surgery under total intravenous anesthesia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ten patients underwent spinal surgery. Anesthesia was induced with propofol (2 mg/Kg), fentanyl (2 mcg/Kg) and a single dose of cis-atracurium (0.15 mg/Kg), followed by infusion of 0.8 mcg/kg/min of remifentanil and propofol (30-50 mcg/kg/min). The depth of anesthesia was monitored by Bispectral Index (BIS) and an adequate level (40-50) of anesthesia was maintained. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) were recorded intraoperatively from the tibial nerve (P37) 15 min before initiation of remifentanil infusion. Data were analysed over that period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Remifentanil induced prolongation of the tibial SSEP latency which however was not significant (p > 0.05). The suppression of the amplitude was significant (p < 0.001), varying from 20-80% with this decrease being time related.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Remifentanil in high doses induces significant changes in SSEP components that should be taken under consideration during intraoperative neuromonitoring.</p

Rtp1p Is a Karyopherin-Like Protein Required for RNA Polymerase II Biogenesis

The assembly and nuclear transport of RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II) are processes that require the participation of many auxiliary factors. In a yeast genetic screen, we identified a previously uncharacterized gene, YMR185w (renamed RTP1), which encodes a protein required for the nuclear import of RNA pol II. Using protein affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry, we identified interactions between Rtp1p and members of the R2TP complex. Rtp1p also interacts, to a different extent, with several RNA pol II subunits. The pattern of interactions is compatible with a role for Rtp1p as an assembly factor that participates in the formation of the Rpb2/Rpb3 subassembly complex and its binding to the Rpb1p-containing subcomplex. Besides, Rtp1p has a molecular architecture characteristic of karyopherins, composed of HEAT repeats, and is able to interact with phenylalanine-glycine-containing nucleoporins. Our results define Rtp1p as a new component of the RNA pol II biogenesis machinery that plays roles in subunit assembly and likely in transport through the nuclear pore complex

Chemokine receptor CXCR4 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma patients increases the risk of bone metastases and poor survival

Abstract Background The chemokine and bone marrow-homing receptor CXCR4 is implicated in metastases of various cancers. This study was conducted to analyze the association of CXCR4 expression with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) bone metastasis and patient survival. Methods Tumor tissue from HCC patients with (n = 43) and without (n = 138) bone metastasis was subjected to immunohistochemical staining for CXCR4 using tissue microarrays. Immunoreactivity was evaluated semi-quantitatively. A receiver-operating characteristic-based approach and logistical regression analysis were used to determine the predictive value of clinicopathologic factors, including CXCR4 expression, in bone metastasis. Patient survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. Results CXCR4 overexpression was detected in 34 of 43 (79.1%) patients with bone metastases and in 57 of 138 (41.3%) without bone metastases. CXCR4 expression correlated with (correlation coefficient: 0.551, P predictive of HCC bone metastases (AUC: 0.689; 95%CI: 0.601 – 0.776; P ). CXCR4 staining intensity correlated with the bone metastasis-free survival (correlation coefficient: -0.359; P = 0.018). CXCR4 overexpression in primary tumors (n = 91) decreased overall median survival (18.0 months vs. 36.0 months, P 0.001). Multivariable analysis identified CXCR4 as a strong, independent risk factor for reduced disease-free survival (relative risk [RR]: 5.440; P = 0.023) and overall survival (RR: 7.082; P = 0.001). Conclusion CXCR4 expression in primary HCCs may be an independent risk factor for bone metastasis and may be associated with poor clinical outcome.</p

RAS-pathway mutation patterns define epigenetic subclasses in juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is an aggressive myeloproliferative disorder of early childhood characterized by mutations activating RAS signaling. Established clinical and genetic markers fail to fully recapitulate the clinical and biological heterogeneity of this disease. Here we report DNA methylome analysis and mutation profiling of 167 JMML samples. We identify three JMML subgroups with unique molecular and clinical characteristics. The high methylation group (HM) is characterized by somatic PTPN11 mutations and poor clinical outcome. The low methylation group is enriched for somatic NRAS and CBL mutations, as well as for Noonan patients, and has a good prognosis. The intermediate methylation group (IM) shows enrichment for monosomy 7 and somatic KRAS mutations. Hypermethylation is associated with repressed chromatin, genes regulated by RAS signaling, frequent co-occurrence of RAS pathway mutations and upregulation of DNMT1 and DNMT3B, suggesting a link between activation of the DNA methylation machinery and mutational patterns in JMML

An Introduction To The Technology Of Thin Film Silicon Photovoltaics

Several aspects of the science and technology of thin film silicon for photovoltaic applications will be presented. The potential advantages of this technology over crystalline wafer technology will be discussed. A basic understanding of the material properties of thin film silicon layers enables to assess their potential and limitations when used in photovoltaic devices. A brief review of the production technology for thin films will be given with particular emphasis on amorphous and microcrystalline silicon. As for other photovoltaic technologies, the push for higher efficiency of thin film silicon devices is strong. An appealing feature of these materials is that they can be easily integrated in multi-junction tandem devices. For instance, stacking amorphous and microcrystalline silicon thin films in one tandem cell, the micromorph cell, increases the efficiency well above the characteristic values of single junction cells. The Institute of Microengineering (IMT) has been a pioneer in the research and development of thin film silicon photovoltaics over the last 20 years and several latest developments on are reviewed

Incidence of subsequent malignancies after total body irradiation-based allogeneic HSCT in children with ALL - long-term follow-up from the prospective ALL-SCT 2003 trial

Total body irradiation (TBI)-based conditioning is associated with superior leukemia-free survival in children with ALL undergoing HSCT. However, the risk for subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMN) remains a significant concern. We analyzed 705 pediatric patients enrolled in the prospective ALL-SCT-BFM-2003 trial and its subsequent registry. Patients >2 years received conditioning with TBI 12 Gy/etoposide (n = 558) and children ≤2 years of age or with contraindications for TBI received busulfan/cyclophosphamide/etoposide (n = 110). The 5- and 10-year cumulative incidence of SMN was 0.02 ± 0.01 and 0.13 ± 0.03, respectively. In total, 39 SMN (34 solid tumors, 5 MDS/AML) were diagnosed in 33 patients at a median of 5.8 years (1.7-13.4), exclusively in the TBI group. Of 33 affected patients, 21 (64%) are alive at a median follow-up of 5.1 years (0-9.9) after diagnosis of their first SMN. In univariate analysis, neither age at HSCT, donor type, acute GVHD, chronic GVHD, nor CMV constituted a significant risk factor for SMN. The only significant risk factor was TBI versus non-TBI based conditioning. This analysis confirms and quantifies the increased risk of SMN in children with ALL after conditioning with TBI. Future strategies to avoid TBI will need careful tailoring within prospective, controlled studies to prevent unfavorable outcomes