Earthworm communities in an agroforest system: Impact of tree rows on the distribution in grassland and cropped land

Agroforest systems are highly discussed as new and innovative land use systems for arable land in temperate regions. They are recommended due to their beneficial impact on several ecosystem functions and for the general diversification of the cultured landscapes. Tree rows, known as alley cropping systems, are one of the most frequent applications. In May 2016 earthworm communities were sampled in an agroforest system in Reiffenhausen south of Göttingen using an electrical extraction system. Asking for the impact of tree rows on the spatial distribution of earthworms, sampling was done in distances of 0, 1, and 4.5m from the alleys (willow on grassland and poplar on cropland). Also grassland and cropland with no trees were sampled as a control. At Reiffenhausen we obtained 6 different species covering all ecological groups of earthworms. Abundances indicated a step gradient for earthworm numbers in the combination of poplar with cropland with decreasing numbers with increasing distance. However, the gradient was not indicated for willow rows on grassland. An effect of hypnotized earthworm supporting factors like litter entry and shading couldn’t be fully confirmed. More data is needed to value agroforest systems for their impact on key organisms and key functions of soil biota

Räumliche Verteilung mikrobieller Bodeneigenschaften in verschiedenen Agroforstsystemen in Deutschland

In den letzten Dekaden konnte frequentiert gezeigt werden, dass Managementpraktiken sowohl Qualität und Quantität pflanzlicher Residuen als auch Aktivität und Diversität von Bodenmikroorganismen beeinflussen. Vor dem Hintergrund nachhaltiger Landnutzung stellen Agroforstsysteme als Kombination aus Bäumen/Sträuchern und Ackerkulturen/Grünland innerhalb eines Landbausystems einen multifunktionalen Ansatz dar. Denn Bäume beeinflussen durch Veränderungen des Mikroklimas und des C-Eintrags direkt das Bodenmilieu und besitzen damit Auswirkungen auf von Bodenorganismen herbeigeführten Ökosystemleistungen (z.B. Abbau organischer Substanz, Nährstoffversorgung, C-Sequestrierung). Dennoch wurden derartige Effekte auf die mikrobielle Aktivität/Diversität und räumliche Variation nur spärlich untersucht. Wir postulieren, dass Unterschiede abiotischer und biotischer Faktoren mit zunehmender Distanz von Baumstreifen die Aktivität und Diversität von Bodenmirkoorganismen beeinflussen. Dafür wurden Oberböden in zwei Tiefen (0-5, 5-20 cm) in unterschiedlichen silvo-arablen und silvo-pastoralen Agroforstsystemen in Deutschland in den Baumstreifen sowie in verschiedenen Distanzen von den Baumstreifen beprobt. An den Bodenproben wurden Corg- und Nt-Gehalte, mikrobielle Biomasse (CMik, NMik), Ergosterol, mikrobielle Residuen (Aminozucker) und pH-Werte bestimmt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Baumstreifen mikrobielle Indizes beeinflussen. So hat die Etablierung der Agroforstsysteme an einigen Standorten unter den Bäumen in 0-5 cm Bodentiefe bereits zu einer signifikanten Erhöhung der Corg- und Nt-Gehalte geführt. Gleichfalls konnten erhöhte Cmik-, Nmik- und Ergosterolgehalte beobachtet werden. Darüber hinaus weisen wichtige mikrobiologische Quotienten Unterschiede auf. So deuten signifikant erhöhte Cmik-zu-Corg- und Ergosterol-zu-Cmik-Quotienten auf eine verbesserte C-Nutzungseffizienz beziehungsweise einen erhöhten Anteil saprotropher Pilze an der mikrobiellen Biomasse unter den Bäumen hin. Ferner wird der Einfluss abiotischer Faktoren (z.B. pH, Tongehalt) auf die räumliche Verteilung der mikrobiellen Parameter und die Problematik der Bestimmung der Effekte bei hoher Bodenvariabilität in Agroforstsystemen und Acker-/Grünlandkontrollflächen aufgezeigt

Violation of pseudospin symmetry in nucleon-nucleus scattering: exact relations

An exact determination of the size of the pseudospin symmetry violating part of the nucleon-nucleus scattering amplitude from scattering observables is presented. The approximation recently used by Ginocchio turns out to underestimate the violation of pseudospin symmetry. Nevertheless the conclusion of a modestly broken pseudospin symmetry in proton-208Pb scattering at EL=800MeV remains valid.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

Classification Models of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and fatal interstitial lung disease with no current cure. Progression of IPF is difficult to predict as the clinical course can be highly variable and range from a rapidly deteriorating state to a relatively stable state, or may be characterized by a slow progressive decline. Therefore, the need for an accurate diagnosis and improved tools for monitoring and managing IPF is of paramount importance, all for understanding the mitochondrial structure and the function played in the IPF. Mitochondrial DNA copy number (MtDCN) has been correlated with mortality in IPF patients and is a source of potentially clinically relevant information. We investigated the effects of various expiratory variables on MtDCN via multiple linear regression models. The models and their theoretical framework are presented under a descriptive and then analytic approach to investigate the complex and impact causes of IPF. Generalized linear model (GLM) based boosting is fitted before and after imputing the missing data. The Bayesian Hierarchical logistic models with categorical response variables that were created using carefully chosen cut-off points to classify the patients. This research provides an opportunity for novel patient surveillances

Blocking of ERK1 and ERK2 sensitizes human mesothelioma cells to doxorubicin

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malignant mesotheliomas (MM) have a poor prognosis, largely because of their chemoresistance to anti-cancer drugs such as doxorubicin (Dox). Here we show using human MM lines that Dox activates extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1 and 2), causally linked to increased expression of ABC transporter genes, decreased accumulation of Dox, and enhanced MM growth. Using the MEK1/2 inhibitor, U0126 and stably transfected shERK1 and shERK2 MM cell lines, we show that inhibition of both ERK1 and 2 sensitizes MM cells to Dox.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>U0126 significantly modulated endogenous expression of several important drug resistance (<it>BCL2, ABCB1, ABCC3</it>), prosurvival (<it>BCL2</it>), DNA repair (<it>BRCA1, BRCA2</it>), hormone receptor (<it>AR, ESR2, PPARγ</it>) and drug metabolism (<it>CYP3A4</it>) genes newly identified in MM cells. In comparison to shControl lines, MM cell lines stably transfected with shERK1 or shERK2 exhibited significant increases in intracellular accumulation of Dox and decreases in cell viability. Affymetrix microarray analysis on stable shERK1 and shERK2 MM lines showed more than 2-fold inhibition (p ≤ 0.05) of expression of ATP binding cassette genes (<it>ABCG1, ABCA5, ABCA2, MDR/TAP, ABCA1, ABCA8, ABCC2</it>) in comparison to shControl lines. Moreover, injection of human MM lines into SCID mice showed that stable shERK1 or shERK2 lines had significantly slower tumor growth rates in comparison to shControl lines after Dox treatment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These studies suggest that blocking ERK1 and 2, which play critical roles in multi-drug resistance and survival, may be beneficial in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of MMs and other tumors.</p

Shell model description of normal parity bands in odd-mass heavy deformed nuclei

The low-energy spectra and B(E2) electromagnetic transition strengths of 159Eu, 159Tb and 159Dy are described using the pseudo SU(3) model. Normal parity bands are built as linear combinations of SU(3) states, which are the direct product of SU(3) proton and neutron states with pseudo spin zero (for even number of nucleons) and pseudo spin 1/2 (for odd number of nucleons). Each of the many-particle states have a well-defined particle number and total angular momentum. The Hamiltonian includes spherical Nilsson single-particle energies, the quadrupole-quadrupole and pairing interactions, as well as three rotor terms which are diagonal in the SU(3) basis. The pseudo SU(3) model is shown to be a powerful tool to describe odd-mass heavy deformed nuclei.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, Accepted to be published in Phys. Rev.

Inter-band B(E2) transition strengths in odd-mass heavy deformed nuclei

Inter-band B(E2) transition strengths between different normal parity bands in 163Dy and 165Er are described using the pseudo-SU(3) model. The Hamiltonian includes Nilsson single-particle energies, quadrupole-quadrupole and pairing interactions with fixed, parametrized strengths, and three extra rotor terms used to fine tune the energy spectra. In addition to inter-band transitions, the energy spectra and the ground state intra-band B(E2) strengths are reported. The results show the pseudo-SU(3) shell model to be a powerful microscopic theory for a description of the normal parity sector in heavy deformed odd-A nuclei.Comment: 4 figures, 2 table

The pseudo-spin symmetry in Zr and Sn isotopes from the proton drip line to the neutron drip line

Based on the Relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov (RCHB) theory, the pseudo-spin approximation in exotic nuclei is investigated in Zr and Sn isotopes from the proton drip line to the neutron drip line. The quality of the pseudo-spin approximation is shown to be connected with the competition between the centrifugal barrier (CB) and the pseudo-spin orbital potential (PSOP). The PSOP depends on the derivative of the difference between the scalar and vector potentials $dV/dr$. If $dV/dr = 0$, the pseudo-spin symmetry is exact. The pseudo-spin symmetry is found to be a good approximation for normal nuclei and to become much better for exotic nuclei with highly diffuse potential, which have $dV/dr \sim 0$. The energy splitting of the pseudo-spin partners is smaller for orbitals near the Fermi surface (even in the continuum) than the deeply bound orbitals. The lower components of the Dirac wave functions for the pseudo-spin partners are very similar and almost equal in magnitude.Comment: 22 pages, 9figure

The flavonoid 4,4′-dimethoxychalcone promotes autophagy-dependent longevity across species

Ageing constitutes the most important risk factor for all major chronic ailments, including malignant, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. However, behavioural and pharmacological interventions with feasible potential to promote health upon ageing remain rare. Here we report the identification of the flavonoid 4,4′- dimethoxychalcone (DMC) as a natural compound with anti-ageing properties. External DMC administration extends the lifespan of yeast, worms and flies, decelerates senescence of human cell cultures, and protects mice from prolonged myocardial ischaemia. Concomitantly, DMC induces autophagy, which is essential for its cytoprotective effects from yeast to mice. This pro-autophagic response induces a conserved systemic change in metabolism, operates independently of TORC1 signalling and depends on specific GATA transcription factors. Notably, we identify DMC in the plant Angelica keiskei koidzumi, to which longevity- and health-promoting effects are ascribed in Asian traditional medicine. In summary, we have identified and mechanistically characterised the conserved longevity-promoting effects of a natural anti-ageing drug