Conservation of the genetic resources of Vitis

As an alternative or supplement to field collections, a repository of 35 grapevine genotypes and 15 clones of cv. Optima was set up under minimal growth conditions. To prolong the storage period between subculturing to at least 12-18 months, some factors of long-term storage were optimized and the causes responsible for early senescence of sensitive genotypes were investigated Besides indirect effects due to excision time, origin of the starting material and preculture, there is a direct influence of the light conditions on the survival rate of cultures. CCC application showed, in some cases, positive effects only after long-term storage. An increase of carbon dioxide concentration during storage is considered to be responsible for the early death of some cultures

Einfluß verschiedener Vorbehandlungen auf die Induktion somatischer Embryogenese an Antheren der Rebsorte Riesling

Zur Verbesserung der Regeneration intakter Pflanzen aus Antheren der Rebsorte Riesling wurden verschiedene Vorbehandlungsmaßnahmen am Ausgangsmaterial sowie Variationen in der Subkultivierung der induzierten somatischen Embryonen durchgeführt und dabei folgende Ergebnisse erzielt:Die Kühlung der präparierten Antheren nach Inokulation auf das Nährmedium für 4 d bei 4 °C führte zu einer Regenerationsrate intakter Pflanzen von 8 %.Eine konstante Kulturtemperatur von 27 °C ist zur Induktion von Embryonen optimal; sowohl l5 °C als auch 32 °C hemmten die Embryoinduktion.Die höchsten Embryogeneseraten von 5-7 % wurden nach einer Kallusinduktionsphase von 1-2 Wochen und nachfolgender Kultivierung mit 10 µM BAP oder TDZ erzielt.The effect of different pretreatments on induction of somatic embryogenesis on anthers of grapevine cv. RieslingDifferent pretreatments on starting material for anther cultivation of grapevine cv. Riesling have been carried out. The experiments have been focused on chilling (+4°C) and duration (0-4 d) of inflorescences and freshly excised anthers before cultivation. Best results were obtained when anthers were cooled for a period of 4 d. Callus induction temperature and duration as well as the effects of cytokinins (BA-P, TDZ) in subcultures were also tested. The regeneration rate could be increased by a culture temperature of 27°C, a short callus induction period of 1-2 weeks in combination with either a BAP- or a TDZ-application of 10 µM in the subsequent subcultivation

Der Einfluß von Wachstumsinhibitoren auf die Langzeitlagerung von in-vitro-Kulturen der Rebe

The effect of Cycocel (CCC) and Alar (B 995) on the growth of in vitro cultures of grapevine was tested under temperatures of +25, +8 and +3 °C. Both inhibitors were applied to the sterilized medium.Alar caused in rather low concentrations (100 ppm) such a strong growth inhibition that subculturing became difficult. Moreover, the once induced inhibition was maintained in the two subsequent passages after Alar application.CCC at concentrations of 500 to 1000 ppm reduced the length of the internodes of all cultivars tested to an extent of 30-40 % and the number of nodes/pla ntlet to 20-30 %, but delayed subculturing from 2-3 months to 5-7 months. An after-effect of CCC on subcultured plants was not observed.CCC-treated plantlets had sma ller and darker green leaves. Callus formation at the base of the explants was stimulatecl, whereas root growth was either unaffectecl or s lightly enhanced.CCC (750 ppm) prolonged vitality of the explants during a long- term storage at +8 °C.CCC-treated plantlets (750 ppm) survivecl after a storage period of 10 months at a recluced stor age t emperature of +3 °C without any loss of vitality, whereas untreated plantlets did not survive.The res ults were di scussed in context with possible applications in proclucing of plant material free of virus infections, within the scope of clonal selection, ancl in s toring germplasm

Analysis of Biomechanical Response After Corneal Crosslinking with Different Fluence Levels in Porcine Corneas.

PURPOSE To evaluate corneal stiffening of porcine corneas induced by corneal crosslinking (CXL) with constant irradiance as a function of total fluence. METHODS Ninety corneas from freshly enucleated porcine eyes were divided into five groups of 18 eyes. Groups 1-4 underwent epi-off CXL using a dextran-based riboflavin solution and an irradiance of 18 mW/cm2, group 5 served as the control group. Groups 1 to 4 were treated with a total fluence of 20, 15, 10.8, and 5.4 J/cm2, respectively. Thereafter, biomechanical measurements were performed on 5 mm wide and 6 mm long strips using an uniaxial material tester. Pachymetry measurements were performed on each cornea. RESULTS At 10% strain, the stress was 76, 56, 52, and 31% higher in groups 1-4, respectively compared to the control group. The Young's modulus was 2.85 MPa for group 1, 2.53 MPa for group 2, 2.46 MPa for group 3, 2.12 MPa for group 4, and 1.62 MPa for the control group. The difference between groups 1 to 4 and the control group 5 were statistically significant (p = <0.001; p = <0.001; p = <0.001; p = 0.021). In addition, group 1 showed significantly more stiffening than group 4 (p = <0.001), no other significant differences were found. Pachymetry measurements revealed no statistically significant differences among the five groups. CONCLUSION Additional mechanical stiffening can be achieved by increasing the fluence of the CXL. There was no threshold detected up to 20 J/cm2. A higher fluence could compensate the weaker effect of accelerated or epi-on CXL procedures

Managerial power in the German model: the case of Bertelsmann and the antecedents of neoliberalism

Our article extends the research on authoritarian neoliberalism to Germany, through a history of the Bertelsmann media corporation – sponsor and namesake of Germany’s most influential neoliberal think-tank. Our article makes three conceptual moves. Firstly, we argue that conceptualizing German neoliberalism in terms of an ‘ordoliberal paradigm’ is of limited use in explaining the rise and fall of Germany’s distinctive socio-economic model (Modell Deutschland). Instead, we locate the origins of authoritarian tendencies in the corporate power exercised by managers rather than in the power of state-backed markets imagined by ordoliberals. Secondly, we focus on the managerial innovations of Bertelsmann as a key actor enmeshed with Modell Deutschland. We show that the adaptation of business management practices of an endogenous ‘Cologne School’ empowered Bertelsmann’s postwar managers to overcome existential crises and financial constraints despite being excluded from Germany’s corporate support network. Thirdly, we argue that their further development in the 1970s also enabled Bertelsmann to curtail and circumvent the forms of labour representation associated with Modell Deutschland. Inspired by cybernetic management theories that it used to limit and control rather than revive market competition among its workforce, Bertelsmann began to act and think outside the postwar settlement between capital and labour before the settlement’s hotly-debated demise since the 1990s

Considerations on the Castrop formula for calculation of intraocular lens power

Background: To explain the concept of the Castrop lens power calculation formula and show the application and results from a large dataset compared to classical formulae. Methods: The Castrop vergence formula is based on a pseudophakic model eye with 4 refractive surfaces. This was compared against the SRKT, Hoffer-Q, Holladay1, simplified Haigis with 1 optimized constant and Haigis formula with 3 optimized constants. A large dataset of preoperative biometric values, lens power data and postoperative refraction data was split into training and test sets. The training data were used for formula constant optimization, and the test data for cross-validation. Constant optimization was performed for all formulae using nonlinear optimization, minimising root mean squared prediction error. Results: The constants for all formulae were derived with the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. Applying these constants to the test data, the Castrop formula showed a slightly better performance compared to the classical formulae in terms of prediction error and absolute prediction error. Using the Castrop formula, the standard deviation of the prediction error was lowest at 0.45 dpt, and 95% of all eyes in the test data were within the limit of 0.9 dpt of prediction error. Conclusion: The calculation concept of the Castrop formula and one potential option for optimization of the 3 Castrop formula constants (C, H, and R) are presented. In a large dataset of 1452 data points the performance of the Castrop formula was slightly superior to the respective results of the classical formulae such as SRKT, Hoffer-Q, Holladay1 or Haigis

Evaluating real-time internet therapy and online self-help for problematic alcohol consumers: a three-arm RCT protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Only a minority of all alcohol- and drug abusers is receiving professional care. In an attempt to narrow this treatment gap, treatment facilities experiment with online healthcare. Therefore, it is important to test the (cost-)effectiveness of online health interventions in a randomized clinical trial.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This paper presents the protocol of a three-arm randomized clinical trial to test the (cost-) effectiveness of online treatment for problem drinkers. Self-help online, therapy online and a waiting list are tested against each other. Primary outcome is change in alcohol consumption. Secondary outcome measures include quality of life and working ability. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for self-help online alcohol and therapy online alcohol will be calculated. The predictive validity of participant characteristics on treatment adherence and outcome will be explored.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>To our best knowledge, this randomized clinical trial will be the first to test the effectiveness of therapy online against both self-help online and a waiting-list. It will provide evidence on (cost-) effectiveness of online treatment for problem drinkers and investigate outcome predictors.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>This trial is registered in the Dutch Trialregister (Cochrane Collaboration) and traceable as NTR-TC1155.</p