University of Kansas

About: University of Kansas is a education organization based out in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 38183 authors who have published 81381 publications receiving 2986312 citations. The organization is also known as: KU & Univ of Kansas.

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and the risk of hospitalization for pneumonia: associations with prednisone, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, and anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy.

Abstract: Objective Pneumonia is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was undertaken to determine the rate and predictors of hospitalization for pneumonia and the extent to which specific RA treatments increase pneumonia risk. Methods RA patients (n = 16,788) were assessed semiannually for 3.5 years. Pneumonia was confirmed by medical records or detailed patient interview. Covariates included RA severity measures, diabetes, pulmonary disease, and myocardial infarction. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine the multivariable risk associated with RA treatments. Results After adjustment for covariates, prednisone use increased the risk of pneumonia hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR] 1.7 [95% confidence interval 1.5–2.0]), including a dose-related increase in risk (≤5mg/day HR 1.4 [95% confidence interval 1.1–1.6], >5–10 mg/day HR 2.1 [95% confidence interval 1.7–2.7], >10 mg/day HR 2.3 [95% confidence interval 1.6–3.2]). Leflunomide also increased the risk (HR 1.2 [95% confidence interval 1.0–1.5]). HRs for etanercept (0.8 [95% confidence interval 0.6–110]) and sulfasalazine (0.7 [95% confidence interval 0.5–1.0]) did not reflect an increased risk of pneumonia. HRs for infliximab, adalimumab, and methotrexate were not significantly different from zero. Conclusion There is a dose-related relationship between prednisone use and pneumonia risk in RA. No increase in risk was found for anti–tumor necrosis factor therapy or methotrexate. These data call into question the belief that low-dose prednisone is safe. Because corticosteroid use is common in RA, the results of this study suggest that prednisone exposure may have important public health consequences.

Spatial patterns of NDVI in response to precipitation and temperature in the central Great Plains

Abstract: The Normalized DiVerence Vegetation Index (NDVI) has proven to bea robust indicator ofterrestrial vegetation productivity. Among climaticfactors, precipitation and temperature strongly ine uence both temporal and spatial pat- terns of NDVI. We examined spatial responses of NDVI to precipitation and temperature during a 9-year period (1989-1997) in Kansas. Biweekly climate maps (precipitation and temperature) were constructed by interpolation of weather station measurements. Maps of biweekly growing season (March to October) NDVI were constructed for Kansas using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radio- meter (AVHRR) NDVI images. Average precipitation is a strong predictor of the major east-west NDVI gradient. Deviation from average precipitation explained most of the year-to-year variation in spatial patterns. NDVI and precipitation covaried in the same direction (both positive or both negative) for 60-95% of the total land area. Minimum and average temperatures were positively correlated with NDVI, but temperature deviation from average was generally not correlated with NDVI deviation from average. Our results demonstrate that precipitation is a strong predictor of regional spatial patterns of NDVI and, by inference, patterns of productivity.

Distinct Expression Levels and Patterns of Stem Cell Marker, Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Isoform 1 (ALDH1), in Human Epithelial Cancers

Abstract: Aldehyde dehydrogenase isoform 1 (ALDH1) has been proved useful for the identification of cancer stem cells However, our knowledge of the expression and activity of ALDH1 in common epithelial cancers and their corresponding normal tissues is still largely absent Therefore, we characterized ALDH1 expression in 24 types of normal tissues and a large collection of epithelial tumor specimens (six cancer types, n = 792) by immunohistochemical staining Using the ALDEFUOR assay, ALDH1 activity was also examined in 16 primary tumor specimens and 43 established epithelial cancer cell lines In addition, an ovarian cancer transgenic mouse model and 7 murine ovarian cancer cell lines were analyzed We found that the expression levels and patterns of ALDH1 in epithelial cancers are remarkably distinct, and they correlate with their corresponding normal tissues ALDH1 protein expression levels are positively correlated with ALDH1 enzymatic activity measured by ALDEFLUOR assay Long-term in vitro culture doesn't significantly affect ALDH1 activity in epithelial tumor cells Consistent with research on other cancers, we found that high ALDH1 expression is significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes in serous ovarian cancer patients (n = 439, p = 00036) Finally, ALDH(br) tumor cells exhibit cancer stem cell properties and are resistant to chemotherapy As a novel cancer stem cell marker, ALDH1 can be used for tumors whose corresponding normal tissues express ALDH1 in relatively restricted or limited levels such as breast, lung, ovarian or colon cancer

Carbon-nitrogen interactions regulate climate-carbon cycle feedbacks: results from an atmosphere-ocean general circulation model

Abstract: Inclusion of fundamental ecological interactions between carbon and nitrogen cycles in the land component of an atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (AOGCM) leads to decreased carbon uptake associated with CO2 fertil- ization, and increased carbon uptake associated with warm- ing of the climate system. The balance of these two oppos- ing effects is to reduce the fraction of anthropogenic CO2 predicted to be sequestered in land ecosystems. The primary mechanism responsible for increased land carbon storage un- der radiatively forced climate change is shown to be fertiliza- tion of plant growth by increased mineralization of nitrogen directly associated with increased decomposition of soil or- ganic matter under a warming climate, which in this partic- ular model results in a negative gain for the climate-carbon feedback. Estimates for the land and ocean sink fractions of recent anthropogenic emissions are individually within the range of observational estimates, but the combined land plus ocean sink fractions produce an airborne fraction which is too high compared to observations. This bias is likely due in part to an underestimation of the ocean sink frac- tion. Our results show a significant growth in the airborne fraction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions over the coming