Socio-demographic, Clinical, and Genetic Determinants of Quality of Life in Lung Cancer Patients.

Patient reported health-related quality of life (QOL) is a major component of the overall well-being of cancer patients, with links to prognosis. In 6,420 lung cancer patients, we identified patient characteristics and genetic determinants of QOL. Patient responses from the SF-12 questionnaire was used to calculate normalized Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores. Further, we analyzed 218 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, a key mediator of response to cellular and environmental stress, as genetic determinants of QOL in a subset of the study population (N = 641). Trends among demographic factors for mean PCS and MCS included smoking status (PCS Ptrend < 0.001, MCS Ptrend < 0.001) and education (PCS Ptrend < 0.001, MCS Ptrend < 0.001). Similar relationships were seen for MCS. The homozygous rare genotype of MEF2B: rs2040562 showed an increased risk of a poor MCS (OR: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.05-8.92, P = 0.041). Finally, survival analysis showed that a low PCS or a MCS was associated with increased risks of five-year mortality (HR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.51-1.77, HR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.16-1.32, respectively) and there was a significant reduction in median survival time (Plog-rank < 0.001). These findings suggest that multiple factors contribute to QOL in lung cancer patients, and baseline QOL can impact survival

Surface Runoff Characteristics from Claypan Soil in Southeastern Kansas Receiving Different Plant Nutrient Sources and Tillage

Preliminary results show that two-year average total nitrogen (N) runoff losses and ortho-phosphorus (P) and total P runoff losses in the second year were greater with N-based turkey litter/no-till applications than P-based turkey litter or fertilizer-only applications. Incorporation of turkey litter applied based on N requirements resulted in N and P losses that did not differ from losses from P-based or fertilizer-only treatments. Chemical and statistical analyses of third-year samples will allow for final results and interpretation

Response of Soybean Grown on a Claypan Soil in Southeastern Kansas to the Residual of Different Plant Nutrient Sources and Tillage

The residual from previous high rate turkey litter applications, which were based on N requirements of the previous grain sorghum crop, increased soybean yield above that obtained from the residual of P-based turkey litter applications (low rate), commercial fertilizer, or the control. Even though early soybean growth was not significantly affected by residual treatments, the greatest dry matter production at the R6 growth stage was where the N-based litter had been applied and incorporated

Response of Soybean Grown on a Claypan Soil in Southeastern Kansas to the Residual of Different Plant Nutrient Sources and Tillage

The residual effects of turkey litter and fertilizer amendments applied in previous years had little effect on the yield, yield components, and dry matter production of the following soybean crop grown in 2014

Response of Soybean Grown on a Claypan Soil in Southeastern Kansas to the Residual of Different Plant Nutrient Sources and Tillage

The residual from previous high rate turkey litter applications, which were based on N requirements of the previous grain sorghum crop, increased soybean yield above that obtained from the residual of P-based turkey litter applications (low rate), commercial fertilizer, or the control. Even though early soybean growth was not significantly affected by residual treatments, the greatest dry matter production at the R6 growth stage was where the N-based litter had been applied and incorporated

New research models and novel signal analysis in studies on preterm labor: a key to progress?

Preterm labor affects up to 20% of pregnancies, is considered a main cause of associated neonatal morbidity and mortality and is responsible for neonatal care costs of multimillion euros. In spite of that, the commercial market for this clinical indication is rather limited, which may be also related to high liability. Consequently, with only a few exceptions, preterm labor is not in the orbit of great interest of the pharmaceutical industry. Coordinated effort of research community may bring the change and help required to reduce the influence of this multifactorial syndrome on society. Between the novel techniques that are being explored in a SAFE (The Special Non-Invasive Advances in Fetal and Neonatal Evaluation Network) group, there are new research models of preterm labor as well as novel methodology of analysis of biological signals. In this article, we briefly describe new clinical and nonclinical human models of preterm labor as well as summarize some novel methods of data processing and analysis that may be used in the context of preterm labor

Response of Soybean Grown on a Claypan Soil in Southeastern Kansas to the Residual of Different Plant Nutrient Sources and Tillage

Soybean yields measured from 2014 through 2016 were more than 50% greater from the residual from N-based turkey litter applications during 2011 through 2013 than in the control where no nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) was applied. However, residual from P-based turkey litter applications or fertilizer-only did not result in soybean yield different from the no N-P control. This residual effect on yield was largely due to increased pods per plant

Formation and Stability of Substituted Pyromorphite: A Molecular Modeling Study

Soils contaminated with lead pose significant risk to human as well as terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Theoretical phase relationships and field observations suggest that the interaction of lead and phosphorus to form pyromorphites Pb5(PO4 )3 X (X= OH-, Br-, Cl-, or F-) is an important buffer mechanism controlling the migration and fixation of lead in the environment. We report a molecular modeling approach to investigate the formation and stability of the substituted pyromorphites, which involved evaluating the lattice energy of the minerals using ab initio quantum mechanics. The lattice energy values are used in a Born-Haber thermodynamic cycle to calculate the heat of formation of the minerals. The Gibbs free energy of the substituted pyromorphites is then calculated from the change in entropy and heat of formation. The systems investigated in this study include partial and total substitution of Pb2+ by Cd2+ and Zn2+ cations in chloropyromorphite (Pb5(PO4 )3Cl ). Results indicate the unstable nature of the substituted Pb pyromorphite. The stability of the substituted minerals is found in the order Pb-pyromorphite \u3e Cd-pyromorphite \u3e Zn-pyromorphite

The effects of P fertilizer addition on P transformations on high-P fixing and grassland soils

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of AgronomyGanga M. HettiarachchiAlthough phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for the growth of plants, it is one of the most limiting nutrients in terms of availability as a high proportion of applied P rapidly transforms into insoluble forms with low solubility in soils. To further understand the fate of P applied to soils, two separate but related studies using three high P-fixing soil types each were used for which the objectives were to investigate the mobility, availability, and reaction products from two granular and one liquid P fertilizer alone or plus a fertilizer enhancement product. Energy dispersive spectroscopy showed a substantial amount of P remained in the granule following a 5-week incubation. At the end of the 35-day incubation period there was evidence that the fluid fertilizer was superior over the granular sources in terms of enhanced diffusion and extractability of P for three calcareous soils with varying levels of CaCO₃. Phosphorus x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy results in conjunction with resin-extractable P indicated a strong negative correlation between Ca-P solids formed and P extractability, suggesting that degree of Ca-P formation limits P solubility. For the three acidic P-fixing soils the results were complex. In two out of three acid soils, liquid P treatments diffused farther from the application point than the granular treatments. Phosphorus XANES results suggested that Fe-P or Al-P interactions control the overall P solubility. Integration of pH, resin extractable-P and XANES results suggested the P retention mechanism was either dominated by adsorption or precipitation depending on soil pH. More acidic soil conditions favored precipitation. The objectives of the third study were to observe how long-term (14 years) addition of P with or without N influences the inorganic and organic P pools in a native grassland soil using sequential fractionation, XANES, and ³¹P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The overall results suggested that P and N fertilization and associated changes in plant productivity induced significant changes in soil P pools such as Ca-P, phytic acid, monoesters, and residual forms of P. The addition of P alone induced formation of inorganic P forms while the addition of P and N induced transformation of residual P forms into more labile and/or organic P forms