DOC-trail: 20 years of organic and conventional farming affect soil microbial properties

In a long-term field trial (DOC; = bio-Dynamic, bio-Organic, Conventional) at Therwil, Switzerland, agricultural production systems have been compared since 1978. The production systems differ mainly in the amount and form of fertiliser and plant protection strategy. Crop rotation and soil tillage were the same. In the most prominent systems soil microbial properties were investigated for the first time after two crop rotations in 1990. In 1998, after 3 crop rotations, soil microbial properties were investigated in all field plots. Conclusions Agricultural systems exert distinct effects on chemical and microbiological soil properties, prominently the bio-dynamic system with the application of composted manure. Part of the influence on microbiological parameters appears to be indirect through chemical properties. The differentiation of the systems remained stable for the last eight years of the trial

Einfluss von biologischer und konventioneller Bewirtschaftung auf biologische Bodenqualitätsparameter: Entwicklungen im DOK Langzeitversuch nach pH-Regulierung

In the long-term DOK field trial at Therwil, Switzerland, agricultural farming systems are compared since 1978: CONFYM (mineral and organic fertilisers, synthetic pesticides), BIOORG (organic fertilisers, mechanical weeding and biological disease and pest control) and BIODYN (with composted manure and bio-dynamic preparations), all of them at two fertiliser intensities of 0.7 and 1.4 livestock units per ha, respectively. They are compared with CONMIN (conventionally managed, exclusively minerally fertilised) and NOFERT (unfertilised control). CONFYM and CONMIN were limed with 2.7 t CaCO3 ha-1 in 1999, CONMIN with additional 2 t CaCO3 ha-1 in 2005, since pH values had dropped below officially recommended values. In spring of 1998 and 2006 soil samples from 0 to 20 cm depth were analysed for soil microbial biomass (substrate induced respiration SIR and chloroform fumigation extraction CFE), soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity. NOFERT and CONMIN exhibited the lowest microbial soil properties Manure application influenced most soil microbial parameters positively. Differences between treatments in soil microbial parameters were smaller in 2006 than in 1998 due to pH regulation. Only CFE and dehydrogenase activity were higher in BIODYN than in BIOORG and CONFYM in 2006. For physiological methods SIR and soil respiration, no differences between these three systems were measured. Because of liming, manure use, a wide ley rotation and equal plant residue management no more differences between BIOORG and CONFYM, representing the predominant farming systems in Switzerland were observed for all soil microbial properties

Wirkungen von ‚Effektiven Mikroorganismen EM’ auf pflanzliche und bodenmikrobiologische Parameter im Feldversuch

The effectiveness of the bio-fertilizer ‚Effective Microorganisms’ (EM) was investigated in a four years field experiment (2003-2006) at Zürich, Switzerland. The experiment was arranged to separate the effect of the microorganisms in the EM treatments (Bokashi and EMA) from its substrate (sterilized treatments). Crop yields and soil microbiological parameters as soil respiration and microbial biomass were determined. The EM treatments showed no effect on yield and soil microbiology which were caused by the EM microorganisms. Observed effects could be related to the effect of the carrier substrate of the EM preparation. The sampling time showed stronger ef-fects on soil microbial biomass (SIR) and soil respiration compared to the effect of the treatments. Hence ‘Effective Microorganisms’ will not be able to improve yields and soil quality in mid term (3 years) in organic arable farming

Peptide-loaded chimeric influenza virosomes for efficient in vivo induction of cytotoxic T cells

Virus-specific CD8+ T cells are thought to play an important role in resolving acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection as viral clearance has been associated with a strong and sustained CD8+ T cell response. During the chronic state of HCV infection virus-specific T cells have a low frequency and a reduced responsiveness. Based on this, a therapeutic vaccine increasing the frequency of specific T cells is a promising alternative for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. We improved an existing vaccine platform based on immunopotentiating reconstituted influenza virosomes (IRIVs) for efficient delivery of peptide epitopes to the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway. IRIVs are proteoliposomes composed of phospholipids and influenza surface glycoproteins. Due to their fusogenic activity, IRIVs are able to deliver encapsulated macromolecules, e.g. peptides to immunocompetent cells. We developed a novel method based on chimeric virosomes [chimeric immunopotentiating reconstituted influenza virosomes (CIRIVs)] combining the high peptide-encapsulation capacity of liposomes and the fusion activity of virosomes. This new approach resulted in a 30-fold increase of the amount of incorporated soluble peptide compared with current preparation methods. To study the immunogenicity of chimeric virosomes HLA-A2.1 transgenic mice were immunized with CIRIVs containing the HCV Core132 peptide. Core132-CIRIVs efficiently induced specific cytotoxic and IFNγ-producing T cells already with low peptide doses. Vaccine formulations, which include combinations of different HCV-derived CTL epitopes could be used to induce not only a strong but also a multi-specific CTL response, making them potential candidates for therapeutic and maybe prophylactic T cell vaccines in human

Trauma induces apoptosis in human thoracolumbar intervertebral discs

BACKGROUND: Vertebral fractures resulting from high energy trauma often comprise the risk of posttraumatic degenerative changes in the affected intervertebral discs (IVD). Particularly in conservatively treated patients, or in cases after implant removal of an exclusively posterior stabilization, consecutive disc degeneration and the associated functional losing of the spinal segment clearly represent detrimental treatment results. In this regard, apoptosis of IVD cells has been suggested to be involved in the critical changes of the extracellular matrix. METHODS: To investigate whether fractures of the vertebrae induce apoptosis in the affected IVD, disc tissue from patients (n = 17) undergoing open reduction and internal fixation of thoracolumbar spine fractures were analysed in regards to caspase activity, apoptosis-receptor expression levels and gene expression of apoptosis-regulating proteins such as Bax and Bcl-2. Healthy IVD tissue (n = 3) obtained from patients undergoing surgical resection of adjacent vertebrae were used as control samples. RESULTS: In contrast to healthy control IVD tissues, samples from traumatic thoracolumbar IVD showed positive TUNEL staining and a significant increase of caspase-3/7 activity. Interestingly, analyses of the initiator caspase-8 and -9 revealed significantly increased activation levels compared to control values, suggesting the coexistent activation of both the extrinsic (receptor-mediated) and intrinsic (mitochondria-mediated) apoptosis pathway. Accordingly, expression levels of the Fas receptor (FasR) mRNA were significantly increased. Although the TNF receptor I (TNFR I) was only slightly upregulated, corresponding TNFα from trauma IVD presented significantly increased mRNA expression values. Furthermore, traumatic IVD cells demonstrated significantly reduced expression of the mitochondria-bound anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, thereby maintaining baseline transcriptional levels of the pro-apoptotic Bax protein when compared to control IVD cells. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that thoracolumbar fractures induce early caspase-dependent apoptosis in IVD cells of the affected intervertebral disc, in part, by downregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 (intrinsic apoptosis pathway), as well as signalling via the death receptor complex (TNFR I and FasR)

The use of dissolved inorganic carbon for the production of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill)

Thesis (M.Sc. Agric.) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1999.Full text to be digitised and attached to bibliographic record

Die Rolle der Gentherapie in Sepsis - ein neuer therapeutischer Ansatz?

Title and Table of Contents 1\. Introduction 2\. Specific Aims of the Project 3\. Materials and Methods 4\. Results 5\. Summary and Conclusions 6\. Literature 7\. AcknowledgementsSepsis continues to represent a major cause of death in critically injured patients worldwide. To date, therapies attempting to antagonize various inflammatory mediators have only shown modest success in treating this significant excessive and deregulated immune response to injury. Recent experimental studies and investigations in critically ill patients have suggested that increased apoptosis of lymphoid organs and other parenchymal tissues substantially contribute to immunosuppression, anergy, and organ system dysfunction. In this context, our studies provide strong evidence that lymphocyte apoptosis plays a critical role in sepsis, indicating a potentially new therapeutical approach for treatment of sepsis syndromes. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that gene targeting of dendritic Cells (DCs) with human IL-10 in vivo, as well as ex vivo, significantly improves survival in a murine model of acute and critical infectious disease. One considerable finding was the effect of preventing inflammation induced T-cell apoptosis by upregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 through transfected human IL-10 producing DCs, thus stabilizing cellular function and integrity. Modifying DCs by adenoviral expression of human IL-10 in vitro creates a hybrid DC, which may provide a novel and reasonable clinical approach to therapeutically modulate acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.Die Sepsis ist weiterhin eines der Hauptursachen für die erhöhte Morbidität und Mortalität schwerverletzter Patienten weltweit. Bis heute haben Versuche, diese für die Sepsis bezeichnende exzessive und gestörte Immunantwort zu antagonisieren, nur mäßige Erfolge verzeichnen können. Experimentelle Tierversuche sowie klinische Untersuchungen schwerkranker Patienten haben jedoch gezeigt, dass die Apoptose von lymphoiden Organen sowie verschiedener Parenchymzellen erheblich mitverantwortlich für die Immunsuppression, Anergie sowie Organdysfunktionen ist. In diesem Zusammenhang haben unsere Studien gezeigt, dass die Apoptose der Lymphozyten eine zentrale Rolle während der Sepsis spielt und diesbezüglich einen neuen möglichen Behandlungsansatz in der Sepsis bietet. Unsere Daten zeigten weiterhin, dass die Transfektion von dendritischen Zellen (DCs) mit dem humanen Interleukin-10 sowohl in vivo als auch ex vivo zu einer signifikanten Verbesserung der Überlebensrate in einem septischen Mausmodell führte. Eine wesentliche Erkenntnis daraus war die Unterbindung der Inflammations-induzierten T-Zell Apoptose durch die vermehrte Produktion von humanem IL-10 in transfizierten dendritischen Zellen und die dadurch bedingte Hochregulation des anti-apoptotischen Proteins Bcl-2 in T-Zellen. Die in vitro Modulation von dendritischen Zellen mit einem das humane IL-10 exprimierenden Adenovirus generiert eine neuartige hybrid DC, die in einem neuen therapeutischen Konzept zur Behandlung akut- und chronisch- entzündlichen Erkrankungen Verwendung finden könnte

Effect of Exercise on Arterial Stiffness: Is There a Ceiling Effect?

BACKGROUND Whether arterial stiffness (AS) can be improved by regular exercise in healthy individuals remains equivocal according to cross-sectional and longitudinal studies assessing arterial properties at discrete time points. The purpose of the present study was to pinpoint the time course of training-induced adaptations in central AS. METHODS Aorta characteristic impedance (Zc) and carotid distensibility (CD) were determined with ultrasonography prior to (week 0) and across 8 weeks (weeks 2, 4, and 8) of supervised endurance training (ET) (3 × 60 minutes cycle ergometry sessions per week), in 9 previously untrained healthy normotensive adults (27 ± 4 years) with no history of cardiovascular disease. Exercise capacity was assessed by maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) elicited by incremental ergometry. RESULTS VO2max increased throughout the ET intervention (+12% from week 0 to week 8, P < 0.001, P for linear trend <0.001). Systolic blood pressure rose with ET (+7% from week 0 to week 8, P = 0.019, P for linear trend <0.001). Aorta Zc augmented from week 0 to week 8 of ET in all individuals (+38%, P = 0.003, P for linear trend = 0.002). CD did not significantly differ among time points (P = 0.196) although a linear decreasing trend was detected (P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS Central AS augments during a conventional ET intervention that effectively enhances aerobic exercise capacity in young individuals. This suggests that normal, healthy elastic arteries are not amendable to improvement unless impairment is present

Crop water use under Swiss pedoclimatic conditions – Evaluation of lysimeter data covering a seven-year period

Due to climate change, agricultural production in Europe will be challenged by higher temperatures and shifts in precipitation distribution that will give rise to frequent summer droughts. An adaptation of agricultural systems to these changes requires detailed knowledge of crop water use characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the dynamics of evapotranspiration and water uptake in different crops under the typical edaphoclimatic conditions of Switzerland. Seven years (2009–2015) of high resolution lysimeter mass data including 70 lysimeter-by-year combinations were evaluated. The “adaptive window and adaptive threshold “-filter (AWAT) was used to determine evapotranspiration (ET), precipitation (P), crop coefficient (Kc) and water use efficiency (WUE). Additionally, FDR sensors installed in the lysimeter soil core allowed recording the temporal dynamic of soil water extraction. The evaluation comprised grain maize, silage maize, rapeseed, sugar beets, winter barley, winter wheat and temporary ley. The AWAT filter was successfully used to determine lysimeter P that was inserted in the lysimeter water balance equation to calculate daily ET. It could be shown that the peak of daily crop coefficient coincided with the time of flowering for all flowering arable crops. WUE’s lay in the range given by standard literature, but daily crop coefficients were clearly higher than proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) which is partially due to an oasis and border effect of the lysimeters. Years with limited water availability were characterized by a comparably low Kc. For example, rapeseed in 2011 and maize in 2015 showed substantially lower Kc values. In accordance with the reduced Kc, readily available water was totally removed down to soil depth of at minimum 0.85 m. The limited water availability led to significantly lower yields only in case of silage maize in 2015. These results show overall current water supply to be sufficient under Swiss conditions; however, if drought events like in 2015 become more frequent and even more intense, yield potential of typical Swiss arable crops will be limited by water availability