Effect of urease inhibitors and cationic materials on growth response and ammonia volatilization following fertilization of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) with urea

Urea is a major source of nitrogen (N) fertilizer for the turf industry. Fertilization with urea in both liquid and dry forms involves the risk of considerable N loss to the atmosphere as gaseous ammonia (NH[subscript]3). This NH[subscript]3 volatilization is a major N loss mechanism of surface-applied urea. Among the methods that have been proposed to reduce this N loss are the application of urea with urease inhibitors and the combinations of urea with cationic materials. Studies on the effects of urease inhibitors and cationic materials on growth response and NH[subscript]3 volatilization were conducted from 1983 through 1987 in both the field and laboratory. The purpose of the work reported in this dissertation was to evaluate the urease inhibitors phenylphosphorodiamidate (PPD), N -(n -butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), and ammonium thiosulfate (ATS), and the cations potassium (K[superscript]+) and magnesium (Mg[superscript]++) as fertilizer amendments for increasing urea-N efficiency by measuring the effect of these compounds on growth response and NH[subscript]3 volatilization following application of urea to Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) turf. The results indicate that the urease inhibitors NBPT and PPD have potential for increasing N use efficiency of urea-N applied as a liquid fertilizer to Kentucky bluegrass by reducing NH[subscript]3 volatilization. It is concluded that NBPT is the most effective of the materials tested and that both NBPT and PPD deserve further evaluations as fertilizer amendments for the turfgrass industry

Inhibitory Effect of Veterinary Antibiotics on Denitrification in Groundwater: A Microcosm Approach

Veterinary antibiotics in groundwater may affect natural microbial denitrification process. A microcosm study was conducted to evaluate the influence of sulfamethazine and chlortetracycline at different concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/L) on nitrate reduction in groundwater under denitrifying condition. Decrease in nitrate removal and nitrite production was observed with the antibiotics. Maximum inhibition of nitrate removal was observed after seven days of incubation with 0.01 mg/L sulfamethazine (17.0%) and 1.0 mg/L chlortetracycline (15.4%). The nitrite production was inhibited with 1.0 mg/L sulfamethazine to 82.0% and chlortetracycline to 31.1%. The initial/final nitrate concentrations indicated that 0.01 mg/L sulfamethazine and 1.0 mg/L chlortetracycline were most effective in inhibiting activity of denitrifying bacteria in groundwater. After 12 days of incubation, the sulfamethazine biodegradation was observed whereas chlortetracycline was persistent. Sulfamethazine and chlortetracycline in groundwater could inhibit the growth and capability of naturally occurring denitrifying bacteria, thereby threatening nitrate pollution in groundwater

Comparison between Matched Related and Alternative Donors of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cells Transplanted into Adult Patients with Acquired Aplastic Anemia: Multivariate and Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

We retrospectively compared the outcomes of 225 patients with adult acquired aplastic anemia (AA) who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) from matched related donors (MRDs), and those treated by alloHSCT from alternative donors (ADs). Univariate and multivariate analyses of factors associated with survival were performed. Multivariate analysis showed that age at alloHSCT of ≤31 years, MRD, successful engraftment, absence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), and platelet engraftment at ≤21 days, were independent predictors of longer survival. In addition, time to aGVHD and cumulative nonrelapse mortality (NRM) were better in MRD than in AD recipients. Using propensity score matching (PSM), we performed a case-control study comparing 25 patients in each group who underwent alloHSCT from MRDs and ADs. Pretransplantation clinical factors were well balanced in either group. Median survival time was similar, and no statistically significant difference in transplantation outcomes was apparent when MRD and AD recipients were compared. In conclusion, our results suggest that alloHSCT from an AD should be considered earlier in adult patients with AA who do not have an MRD

Safety and Efficacy of Second-Generation Everolimus-Eluting Xience V Stents Versus Zotarolimus-Eluting Resolute Stents in Real-World Practice Patient-Related and Stent-Related Outcomes From the Multicenter Prospective EXCELLENT and RESOLUTE-Korea Registries

ObjectivesThis study sought to compare the safety and efficacy of the Xience V/Promus everolimus-eluting stent (EES) (Abbott Vascular, Temecula, California) with the Endeavor Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES-R) (Medtronic Cardiovascular, Santa Rosa, California) in “all-comer” cohorts.BackgroundOnly 2 randomized controlled trials have compared these stents.MethodsThe EXCELLENT (Efficacy of Xience/Promus Versus Cypher to Reduce Late Loss After Stenting) and RESOLUTE-Korea registries prospectively enrolled 3,056 patients treated with the EES and 1,998 patients treated with the ZES-R, respectively, without exclusions. Stent-related composite outcomes (target lesion failure [TLF]) and patient-related composite outcomes were compared in crude and propensity score-matched analyses.ResultsOf 5,054 patients, 3,830 (75.8%) had off-label indication (2,217 treated with EES and 1,613 treated with ZES-R). The stent-related outcome (82 [2.7%] vs. 58 [2.9%], p = 0.662) and the patient-related outcome (225 [7.4%] vs. 153 [7.7%], p = 0.702) did not differ between EES and ZES-R, respectively, at 1 year, which was corroborated by similar results from the propensity score-matched cohort. The rate of definite or probable stent thrombosis (18 [0.6%] vs. 7 [0.4%], p = 0.306) also was similar. In multivariate analysis, off-label indication was the strongest predictor of TLF (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.882; 95% confidence interval: 1.226 to 6.779; p = 0.015).ConclusionsIn this robust real-world registry with unrestricted use of EES and ZES-R, both stents showed comparable safety and efficacy at 1-year follow-up. Overall incidences of TLF and definite stent thrombosis were low, even in the patients with off-label indication, suggesting excellent safety and efficacy of both types of second-generation drug-eluting stents

Myeloperoxidase/H2O2/Halide 산화계에 의한 용해성 Collagen의 열성 Gel 형성에 미치는 영향

Effect of myeloperoxidase (MPO)/H202/halide system on thermal gelation of soluble collagen was examined to test the ability of the system to alter the structure of this structural protein using MPO prepared from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The gelation that occurred at 3rC was markedly inhibited when collagen treated with MPO, H202 and halides. The inhibition required the three components. All the halides except F- were effective as cofactors. The inhibition was prevented by 102 scavengers such as histidine and diazobicyclo(2,2,2)octane. With these findings it is confirmed that the inhibition of collagen gelation was caused by MPO-mediated peroxidation. The nature of structural alterations by the system that resulted in the inhibition of gelation was not explored in detail. But collagen when digested with collagenase did not gel properly and collagen treated with the MPO system was found to be cleaved on chromatographic analysis. Thus, degradation may be one of the changes in collagen structure caused by the MPO system. The results obtained indicate that MPO/H202/haiide system was able to cause structural alteration of collagen. The degradative effect of the MPO system on collagen structure was discussed as a possible mechanism of tissue damage in inflammatory conditions

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Impact of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in an Elderly Korean Population

Background and Objective Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is commonly reported by the elderly, but has not been well-described in older adults in Korea. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of EDS, and investigated the relationship between EDS and cognitive impairment in an older Korean population. Methods The cross-sectional and community-based study recruited 333 people ≥ 60 years of age. All participants underwent full-time nocturnal polysomnography and completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic factors. EDS was defined as Epworth Sleepiness Scale score > 10. Cognitive functions were estimated using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease neuropsychological assessment battery and subjective memory complaint questionnaire. Results The overall prevalence of EDS was 18.9% with no significant difference between genders. In multivariate analysis using a multiple logistic regression model, obesity [odds ratio (OR) = 2.379, p = 0.022], educational attainment (OR = 0.929, p = 0.019) and total arousal (OR = 2.785, p = 0.008) were identified as the risk factors for EDS. Subjective memory impairment was related to EDS after controlling for confounding variables (p < 0.001). Conclusions Korean elderly have a high prevalence and risk factors of EDS, which has modest effects on cognitive functioning. EDS in older adults should be adequately addressed and treated, instead of being considered as a normal aging process