Comparative analysis of methods analyzing effects of drought on the herbaceous plant Lablab purpureus

Due to the changing climatic conditions, there is an enlargement of land areas with insufficient rainfall and therefore a reduction in the cultivated area for common crops. Hence, it is now important to find plants that are adapted to these drought conditions. The focus of our research was to apply and compare different methods to quantify the impact of drought stress on plants.Lablab purpureus is considered to be drought tolerant. Therefore, we used L. purpureus genotypes from three continents CPI 36903 (Europe), CPI 52508 (Africa) and HA-4 (Asia) as examples for our study. All genotypes were screened for their tolerance to drought stress by various methods to obtain quantitative data on the drought stress tolerance of individual genotypes and to find out which methods are especially suitable for the measurement of drought tolerance. Classical methods such as leaf size, plant height, biomass, and plant water content were investigated. In addition, by chlorophyll fluorescence measurement effects of drought on the photosynthetic system were examined. Infrared thermography was used in order to make the changes in leaf temperature in plants stressed by drought compared to unstressed plants visible. The methods were complemented by the measurement of leaf conductivity.Results indicate a difference in the usability of the methods for the determination of drought stress. Finally, a set of methods is assembled based on suitability for drought tolerance analysis in plants. The methods include classical growth parameters, including dry weight biomass, PWC and leaf area determination, as well as height measurements of the plants. The stomata behavior is analyzed by leaf conductivity and infrared thermography, both methods complete the set for drought tolerance identification.Based on the results of these methods a ranking of the examined genotypes with respect to their drought tolerance is created

Development of plant species and ecotypes tolerant to drought stress as crop plants

[no abstract

Using a Systems Pharmacology Approach to Study the Effect of Statins on the Early Stage of Atherosclerosis in Humans

More than 100,000 people have participated in controlled trials of statins (lowering cholesterol drugs) since the introduction of lovastatin in the 80s. Meta-analyses of this data have shown that statins have a beneficial effect on treated groups compared to control groups, reducing cardiovascular risk. Inhibiting the HMG-CoA reductase in the liver, statins can reduce cholesterol levels, thus reducing LDL levels in circulation. Published data from intravascular ultrasound studies (IVUS) was used in this work to develop and validate a unique integrative system model; this consisted on analysing control groups from two randomised controlled statins trials (24/97 subjects respectively), one treated group (40 subjects, simvastatin trial) and 27 male subjects (simvastatin, pharmacokinetic study). The model allows to simulate the pharmacokinetics of statins and its effect on the dynamics of lipoproteins (e.g. LDL) and the inflammatory pathway whilst simultaneously exploring the effect of flow-related variables (e.g. wall shear stress) on atherosclerosis progression

The genesis and systematic function of the filioque in Karl Barth's Church dogmatics /

Karl Barth (1886-1968) was an ardent defender of the filioque, the doctrine which states that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Generally, scholarly analysis is restricted to Barth's defence of the filioque in the first half volume of the Church Dogmatics. However, this thesis proceeds on the assumption that a fuller understanding of the filioque in Barth must take into account the genesis and development of the doctrine in his earlier thought. A latent dialectical christocentric pneumatology in the second edition of Romans (1921) provides the material theological support for the doctrine, which subsequently appears in a formal discussion of the filioque in the Gottingen Dogmatics (1924). There Barth speaks of the filioque as a theological analogy of the structure of his developing doctrine of the threefold Word of God. As preaching proceeds from revelation and Scripture, so too the Spirit is to be understood as proceeding from the Father and the Son.Barth continues to defend and apply the filioque in the Church Dogmatics, though the original connection to the threefold form of the Word of God recedes into the background. Instead, the filioque functions systematically both as a theological guarantee of the unity of the work of the Son and the Spirit and as the eternal ground of fellowship between God and humanity. Barth's most mature view of the filioque is construed in dialectical terms whereby the Spirit is understood to be eternally active in uniting and differentiating the Father and the Son. Furthermore, Barth is atypical in the Western filioquist tradition because he refuses to speak of the filioque in terms of a "double procession"; rather, he views the Spirit as proceeding from the common being-of-the-Father-and-the-Son. Barth's stance on the filioque does not result in a form of pneumatological subordinationism, as critics often maintain. Rather, his adoption of the filioque reflects a tendency toward a superordination of the Spirit over Father and Son in a structurally similar way to Hegel's pneumatology. The thesis concludes by pointing to a tension in Barth's thought which in practice tends toward a conflation of economic and immanent Trinity as he reads back into God the problem and confrontation he perceives to exist between God and humanity

Euphorbia tirucalli L.-comprehensive characterization of a drought tolerant plant with a potential as biofuel source.

Of late, decrease in mineral oil supplies has stimulated research on use of biomass as an alternative energy source. Climate change has brought problems such as increased drought and erratic rains. This, together with a rise in land degeneration problems with concomitant loss in soil fertility has inspired the scientific world to look for alternative bio-energy species. Euphorbia tirucalli L., a tree with C3/CAM metabolism in leaves/stem, can be cultivated on marginal, arid land and could be a good alternative source of biofuel. We analyzed a broad variety of E. tirucalli plants collected from different countries for their genetic diversity using AFLP. Physiological responses to induced drought stress were determined in a number of genotypes by monitoring growth parameters and influence on photosynthesis. For future breeding of economically interesting genotypes, rubber content and biogas production were quantified. Cluster analysis shows that the studied genotypes are divided into two groups, African and mostly non-African genotypes. Different genotypes respond significantly different to various levels of water. Malate measurement indicates that there is induction of CAM in leaves following drought stress. Rubber content varies strongly between genotypes. An investigation of the biogas production capacities of six E. tirucalli genotypes reveals biogas yields higher than from rapeseed but lower than maize silage

Dendrogram of twelve <i>E.</i><i>tirucalli</i> genotypes calculated with UPGMA showing the phenetic relationships within the colletion.

<p>Bootstrap values≥50% are above the branches.</p

Specific biogas production (L biogas kg⁻¹ ODM) and gas composition in the biogas produced.

<p>n.a., not analyzed. In case standard deviations could be calculated, they were always less than 10%.</p