Züchtungsmethodische Ansätze zur Erhöhung der Anbaubedeutung der Gelben (Lupinus luteus) und Weißen Lupine (Lupinus albus) im Ökolandbau

Ziel des Vorhabens war es, die Anbauwürdigkeit und Ertragssicherheit von Gelben Lupinen (LUG) und Weißen Lupinen (LUW) zu steigern. Die wissenschaftlichen Arbeitsziele waren (A) Identifizierung von genetischen Ressourcen für Anthraknoseresistenz und Frühzeitigkeit und (B) Charakterisierung von LUG- und LUW-Sorten und Zuchtstämmen hinsichtlich Kornertrag, Rohprotein- und Alkaloidgehalt. Im dreijährigen Versuch erwies sich die polnische LUG Sorte 'Taper' als sehr resistent und zugleich frühzeitig. Bei LUW wurde diesbezüglich keine Differenzierung beobachtet. Die Vererbungsanalyse der Resistenz in 'Taper' ergab einen monogen-dominanten Erbgang. Zur Entwicklung von Selektionsmarkern für die Resistenz wurden ca. 80 PCR-Markerassays aus verschiedenen Leguminosengenomen etabliert. Erträge und Inhaltsstoffe wurden über 3 Jahre auf 3 ökologisch bewirtschafteten Standorten (Groß Lüsewitz, Steinach, Triesdorf) untersucht. Die Erträge, Tausendkorngewichte und Proteingehalte von LUG und LUW betrugen durchschnittlich 9,8 dt/ha und 11 dt/ha, 146 g und 373 g bzw. 43,1 % und 39,0 % in TM. Eine GC-/MSMethode zur Bestimmung der Alkaloide in Gelben und Weißen Lupinen etabliert, mit welcher signifikante Sortenunterschiede im Bitterstoffgehalt nachgewiesen werden konnten. Der Gesamtalkaloidgehalt in LUG betrug im Mittel 0,0177 % und bei LUW 0,2796 %. Eine zerstörungsfreie NIR-Schnellbestimmungsmethode an ganzen Samenkörnern für Rohproteingehalt bei LUG und LUW konnte mit einem Bruker Multi-Purpose Analyzer etabliert werden. Für eine NIR-basierte Analyse des Alkaloidgehalts war hingegen der Fehler der Kalibrierung und Validierung noch zu hoch. Die im Vorhaben erzielten Forschungsergebnisse unterstützen die Eiweißstrategie des BMEL

Xylem surfactants introduce a new element to the cohesion-tension theory

Vascular plants transport water under negative pressure without constantly creating gas bubbles that would disable their hydraulic systems. Attempts to replicate this feat in artificial systems almost invariably result in bubble formation, except under highly controlled conditions with pure water and only hydrophilic surfaces present. In theory, conditions in the xylem should favor bubble nucleation even more: there are millions of conduits with at least some hydrophobic surfaces, and xylem sap is saturated or sometimes supersaturated with atmospheric gas and may contain surface-active molecules that can lower surface tension. So how do plants transport water under negative pressure? Here, we show that angiosperm xylem contains abundant hydrophobic surfaces as well as insoluble lipid surfactants, including phospholipids, and proteins, a composition similar to pulmonary surfactants. Lipid surfactants were found in xylem sap and as nanoparticles under transmission electron microscopy in pores of intervessel pit membranes and deposited on vessel wall surfaces. Nanoparticles observed in xylem sap via nanoparticle-tracking analysis included surfactant-coated nanobubbles when examined by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Based on their fracture behavior, this technique is able to distinguish between dense-core particles, liquid-filled, bilayer-coated vesicles/liposomes, and gas-filled bubbles. Xylem surfactants showed strong surface activity that reduces surface tension to low values when concentrated as they are in pit membrane pores. We hypothesize that xylem surfactants support water transport under negative pressure as explained by the cohesion-tension theory by coating hydrophobic surfaces and nanobubbles, thereby keeping the latter below the critical size at which bubbles would expand to form embolisms

Influence of female sex and fertile age on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders

In a randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effects of karate versus a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on well-being and cognitive functioning in older adults. Fifty-five adults (52-81 years old) participated in twice-weekly karate versus MBSR sessions or no training for 8 weeks. In pre- and postassessments, subjective well-being, health, cognitive functioning, and chronic stress were measured. Preassessment hair cortisol served as physiological stress marker. The results showed an improvement for the karate group, but not the MBSR and control group, in subjective mental health and anxiety as well as cognitive processing speed. The MBSR group showed by trend as a decrease in stress. No significant correlation between preassessment hair cortisol and postassessment outcomes could be established. But the higher the level of baseline self-reported perceived stress, the higher the increase in depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. Generally, it can be assumed that karate and MBSR showed only small training effects concerning the assessed emotional and cognitive parameters

Archazolid and apicularen: Novel specific V-ATPase inhibitors

BACKGROUND: V-ATPases constitute a ubiquitous family of heteromultimeric, proton translocating proteins. According to their localization in a multitude of eukaryotic membranes, they energize many different transport processes. Since their malfunction is correlated with various diseases in humans, the elucidation of the properties of this enzyme for the development of selective inhibitors and drugs is one of the challenges in V-ATPase research. RESULTS: Archazolid A and B, two recently discovered cytotoxic macrolactones produced by the myxobacterium Archangium gephyra, and apicularen A and B, two novel benzolactone enamides produced by different species of the myxobacterium Chondromyces, exerted a similar inhibitory efficacy on a wide range of mammalian cell lines as the well established plecomacrolidic type V-ATPase inhibitors concanamycin and bafilomycin. Like the plecomacrolides both new macrolides also prevented the lysosomal acidification in cells and inhibited the V-ATPase purified from the midgut of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, with IC(50 )values of 20–60 nM. However, they did not influence the activity of mitochondrial F-ATPase or that of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. To define the binding sites of these new inhibitors we used a semi-synthetic radioactively labelled derivative of concanamycin which exclusively binds to the membrane V(o )subunit c. Whereas archazolid A prevented, like the plecomacrolides concanamycin A, bafilomycin A(1 )and B(1), labelling of subunit c by the radioactive I-concanolide A, the benzolactone enamide apicularen A did not compete with the plecomacrolide derivative. CONCLUSION: The myxobacterial antibiotics archazolid and apicularen are highly efficient and specific novel inhibitors of V-ATPases. While archazolid at least partly shares a common binding site with the plecomacrolides bafilomycin and concanamycin, apicularen adheres to an independent binding site

Effects of karate training versus mindfulness training on emotional well-being and cognitive performance in later life

In a randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effects of karate versus a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on well-being and cognitive functioning in older adults. Fifty-five adults (52-81 years old) participated in twice-weekly karate versus MBSR sessions or no training for 8 weeks. In pre- and postassessments, subjective well-being, health, cognitive functioning, and chronic stress were measured. Preassessment hair cortisol served as physiological stress marker. The results showed an improvement for the karate group, but not the MBSR and control group, in subjective mental health and anxiety as well as cognitive processing speed. The MBSR group showed by trend as a decrease in stress. No significant correlation between preassessment hair cortisol and postassessment outcomes could be established. But the higher the level of baseline self-reported perceived stress, the higher the increase in depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. Generally, it can be assumed that karate and MBSR showed only small training effects concerning the assessed emotional and cognitive parameters

Open Archief

Het Nieuwe Instituut en het Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid werkten in het project Open Archief samen om het creatief hergebruik van digitale erfgoedcollecties te stimuleren. Ze nodigden begin 2019 drie makers uit om op basis van de open collecties een nieuw autonoom mediawerk te ontwikkelen. Het beschikbaar stellen en artistiek hergebruiken van digitaal erfgoed stond daarbij centraal, met ruimte voor uiteenlopende creatieve, technische en auteursrechtelijke interpretaties. Een wederkerig experiment tussen instituten en makers. In deze digitale publicatie blikken de deelnemende makers en beide instituten terug op het project en delen de opgedane kennis en ervaringen met collega instellingen en makers

Living with an imperfect cell wall: compensation of femAB inactivation in Staphylococcus aureus

Background: Synthesis of the Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan pentaglycine interpeptide bridge is catalyzed by the nonribosomal peptidyl transferases FemX, FemA and FemB. Inactivation of the femAB operon reduces the interpeptide to a monoglycine, leading to a poorly crosslinked peptidoglycan. femAB mutants show a reduced growth rate and are hypersusceptible to virtually all antibiotics, including methicillin, making FemAB a potential target to restore β-lactam susceptibility in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Cis-complementation with wild type femAB only restores synthesis of the pentaglycine interpeptide and methicillin resistance, but the growth rate remains low. This study characterizes the adaptations that ensured survival of the cells after femAB inactivation. Results: In addition to slow growth, the cis-complemented femAB mutant showed temperature sensitivity and a higher methicillin resistance than the wild type. Transcriptional profiling paired with reporter metabolite analysis revealed multiple changes in the global transcriptome. A number of transporters for sugars, glycerol, and glycine betaine, some of which could serve as osmoprotectants, were upregulated. Striking differences were found in the transcription of several genes involved in nitrogen metabolism and the arginine-deiminase pathway, an alternative for ATP production. In addition, microarray data indicated enhanced expression of virulence factors that correlated with premature expression of the global regulators sae, sarA, and agr. Conclusion: Survival under conditions preventing normal cell wall formation triggered complex adaptations that incurred a fitness cost, showing the remarkable flexibility of S. aureus to circumvent cell wall damage. Potential FemAB inhibitors would have to be used in combination with other antibiotics to prevent selection of resistant survivors

No net land take policy in practice: Applications and potentials of planning instruments in municipalities; Results of an online survey in North Rhine-Westphalia

In line with the European Commission's target, land take in Germany has to be reduced to net zero by 2050. This not only presupposes greater inner urban development and more efficient development outside existing settlements, but also puts a greater planning and political focus on renaturation. The aim of this paper is to investigate the implementation of no net land take policy using the example of the highly dense and urbanised federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Based on an online survey, the current and potential use of (planning) instruments to implement this policy in all 396 municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia was investigated. The findings suggest that the municipalities are not yet in a position to consistently implement no net land take. Particularly in the field of renaturation, this is often due to a lack of experience and uncertainties in the use of the existing (planning) instruments, but also to lacking awareness of the problem and a lack of political and social acceptance for higher housing densities. Since the necessary instruments are defined in current legislation and the concepts for implementation are generally known, it is important to support municipalities in using the available instruments and concepts even without direct pressure to act.In Übereinstimmung mit der Europäischen Kommission soll die Flächeninanspruchnahme bis 2050 in Deutschland auf Nettonull reduziert werden. Dies setzt nicht nur eine stärkere Innenentwicklung und eine flächensparende Außenentwicklung voraus, sondern rückt Rückbau- und Renaturierungsmaßnahmen ungleich stärker in den Fokus von Planung und Politik. Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, den Umsetzungstand derFlächenkreislaufwirtschaft in den Städten und Gemeindendes hochverdichteten Bundeslandes Nordrhein-Westfalen zuuntersuchen. Aufbauend auf einer Online-Befragung werdenhierzu der aktuelle und potenzielle Instrumenteneinsatz zur Umsetzung einer Flächenkreislaufwirtschaft in allen 396 nordrhein-westfälischen Städten und Gemeinden abgefragt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Städte und Gemeinden gegenwärtig noch nicht in der Lage sind, eine Flächenkreislaufwirtschaft konsequent umzusetzen. Dies liegt, insbesondere im Bereich Rückbau, mitunter an den geringen Erfahrungswerten und Unsicherheiten im Umgang mit den bestehenden (Planungs-)Instrumenten, muss aber bezüglich aktueller Wohnbauvorhaben auch auf ein generell unzureichendes Problembewusstsein und die fehlende politische und gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz für höhere Bebauungsdichten zurückgeführt werden. Da die erforderlichen Instrumente im geltenden Recht definiert und Umsetzungskonzepte allgemein bekannt sind, ist es wichtig, die Kommunen dabei zu unterstützen, die verfügbaren Instrumente und Konzepte auch ohne direkten Handlungsdruck zunutzen

Crop to wild introgression in lettuce: following the fate of crop genome segments in backcross populations

Background: After crop-wild hybridization, some of the crop genomic segments may become established in wild populations through selfing of the hybrids or through backcrosses to the wild parent. This constitutes a possible route through which crop (trans)genes could become established in natural populations. The likelihood of introgression of transgenes will not only be determined by fitness effects from the transgene itself but also by the crop genes linked to it. Although lettuce is generally regarded as self-pollinating, outbreeding does occur at a low frequency. Backcrossing to wild lettuce is a likely pathway to introgression along with selfing, due to the high frequency of wild individuals relative to the rarely occurring crop-wild hybrids. To test the effect of backcrossing on the vigour of inter-specific hybrids, Lactuca serriola, the closest wild relative of cultivated lettuce, was crossed with L. sativa and the F1 hybrid was backcrossed to L. serriola to generate BC1 and BC2 populations. Experiments were conducted on progeny from selfed plants of the backcrossing families (BC1S1 and BC2S1). Plant vigour of these two backcrossing populations was determined in the greenhouse under non-stress and abiotic stress conditions (salinity, drought, and nutrient deficiency). Results: Despite the decreasing contribution of crop genomic blocks in the backcross populations, the BC1S1 and BC2S1 hybrids were characterized by a substantial genetic variation under both non-stress and stress conditions. Hybrids were identified that performed equally or better than the wild genotypes, indicating that two backcrossing events did not eliminate the effect of the crop genomic segments that contributed to the vigour of the BC1 and BC2 hybrids. QTLs for plant vigour under non-stress and the various stress conditions were detected in the two populations with positive as well as negative effects from the crop. Conclusion: As it was shown that the crop contributed QTLs with either a positive or a negative effect on plant vigour, we hypothesize that genomic regions exist where transgenes could preferentially be located in order to mitigate their persistence in natural populations through genetic hitchhiking