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Microbial biodiversity in soil following different fertilisation regimes and their impact on potato brown rot suppression was studied. Evaluation was made at four naturally infested locations in Egypt. Fields with low components of organic matter (OM) and low carbon nitrogen (C:N) ratio were conducive to the disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. Contrary to fields rich in antagonistic actinomycetes and microbial biodiversity. The effect of different regimes on disease control varied from location to another according to difference in edaphic factors. The effect of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) suppression was remarkable as related to increase in eubacteria biodiversity, endospores bacteria and actinomycetes in alkaline soils. Replacement of potassium with magnesium (NPMg) significantly suppressed infection and was associated with soil oligotrophism and antagonistic actinomycetes. Replacement of potassium with calcium (NPCa) significantly suppressed infection, increased fungal biodiversity and antagonistic actinomycetes. Composted chicken manure increased suppression and accompanied with a clear shift in soil biodiversity and increased antagonistic bacteria and fluorescent pseudomonas ratios. Decrease in soil biodiversity was recorded in some cases. Plant animal compost showed disease suppression which accompanied with an increase in microbial biodiversity along with high ratio of antagonistic bacteria. On the other hand, an increase in OM dissociation and reduction in C:N ratio was recorded in one area, characterised with natural high soil OM content, which enhanced soil conduciveness. In conclusion, the recommended fertilisation regime to suppress potato brown rot disease vary from soil to another according to different soil edaphic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) is a painful yet preventable form of cumulative skin irritation prevalent amongst those with limited movement. Consequently, it has a significant impact on the quality of life for those affected as well as substantial cost implications. Prevention and intervention is typically through good skin hygiene regimes and regular use of barrier products. In this paper, we describe the development of an in vivo model of IAD in healthy volunteers by occluded application of alkaline synthetic urine to the volar aspect of volunteer's forearms for 6 h per day over a five-day period to reproduce the moist and irritant conditions causative of IAD. Irritation was assessed and quantified on a daily basis by a series of non-invasive biophysical measurements and compared to a contralateral saline-treated (control) site. Dermal irritation was assessed by subjective (visual) and objective measurements (laser Doppler and polarisation spectroscopic imaging, infrared thermography, skin reflectance spectroscopy, transepidermal water loss and skin surface pH). The provocation of reproducible, cumulative skin irritation was successfully demonstrated and quantified. This five-day model of irritation is considered appropriate for the initial clinical assessment of topical products to prevent or treat IAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigator-derived quality of life (QoL) instruments such as the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Prostate (FACT-P) questionnaire do not allow participants to weight the relative importance of QoL domains. We investigated the effect of allowing patients the ability to weight the relative importance of the five areas included in the FACT-P (Physical, Social, Emotional and Functional well-being, and Additional concerns). Patients (n=150) completed the FACT-P and gauged the relative importance of each QoL domain using a direct-weighting approach. This was then used to provide an adjusted Hybrid QoL score. Patients also completed a Visual Analogue Scale. Patients considered Social well-being to be the most important domain and Additional concerns to be the least important. When patient weightings were taken into account overall QoL scores increased. The validity of the Hybrid score was supported by its ability to distinguish between patients with metastatic and locoregional disease and its ability to detect expected decreases in global QoL over time. Application of the direct-weighting approach to the FACT-P allows assessments to more accurately reflect individual QoL. Unadjusted QoL scores may lead researchers to incorrectly estimate the true QoL of respondents.Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2009) 12, 72–77; doi:10.1038/pcan.2008.28; published online 13 May 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer can have diverse effects on patients’ quality of life (QoL). Standard QoL questionnaires do not address all of the concerns expressed by such patients. The primary purpose of this study was to identify those issues with the greatest influence on the QoL of patients with prostate cancer. A secondary aim was to compare the performance of the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life—Direct Weighting (SEIQoL-DW) semi-structured interview with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Prostate questionnaire (FACT-P). A mixed population of patients with prostate cancer (including those with localized and metastatic disease) completed the SEIQoL-DW and the FACT-P. The SEIQoL-DW was satisfactorily completed by 180 patients, including 93 patients with metastatic disease. Patients identified 144 separate QoL concerns, and these were then independently grouped by three of the authors into 13 distinct themes. The most frequently identified themes were ‘leisure and hobbies’, ‘family’ and ‘health’. The themes that patients considered to be the most important were ‘partner/spouse’, ‘family’ and ‘health’. Patients were most satisfied with their QoL in the domains of ‘family’, ‘partner/spouse’ and ‘friends’. They were least satisfied with ‘sexuality’, ‘mobility’ and ‘psychological factors’. Patients with metastatic disease rated their QoL significantly (P<0.0001) lower than other patients using the FACT-P, but not using the SEIQoL-DW (P=0.07). Patients with prostate cancer identified numerous QoL concerns that are not included (or are underrepresented) in standard health-related QoL questionnaires such as the FACT-P. Health-related QoL questionnaires may underestimate the QoL of patients with metastatic disease.Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2008) 11, 390–396; doi:10.1038/pcan.2008.16; published online 22 April 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the measurements of force and acceleration on standard penetration test (SPT) systems. Use of solutions from both wave mechanics and wave equation analysis program; Analysis of stresses generated in SPT driving systems; Problems in energy measurement and calculation; Drill rod energy transmission.