Background: The Asthma Control Test (ACT) is a commonly used scoring system for evaluation of asthma control in the pediatric and adult populations. Asthma control has been deemed poor in those economically disadvantaged. Objective: To study whether the
ACT is affected by socioeconomic status (SES) as evaluated by the percentage of the federal poverty level and the education level. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study (N = 307), in which the patients were surveyed for demographics data and underwent ACT scoring, spirometry
(forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration) and fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide testing. Results: There was a positive correlation of improved mean score on the ACT (p < 0.001) with higher education status and higher federal poverty
level status. Conclusion: SES plays a factor in the way patients perceived their asthma control, and therefore affected how they scored on the ACT.
Microbes are an important element of the phosphorus cycle operative in the soil and play significant roles in transference of phosphorus between various soil phosphorus pools. Therefore, there has been continued interest in the usage of soil microbes to improve the phosphorus nutrition of plants and increase the overall efficiency of phosphorus use in agricultural systems. This interest originates from the fact that insufficiency of phosphorus is a common problem in soils all over the world, that a foremost cost for agricultural production is due to phosphate fertilizers and that the efficacy of phosphorus used by plants from soil applied phosphate fertilizers is very poor. Hence, with such issues the role of soil microbes in increasing phosphorus fertility in soils becomes more important. In this review several such aspects concerning the solubilisation and mobilization of soil phosphorus by microorganisms for enhancing soil fertility are discussed.
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