Eco-Efficiency of Forage Production in Northern Germany

A 2-year field experiment was conducted at two sites in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, to quantify and evaluate the carbon footprint of arable forage cropping systems (continuous silage maize, maize-wheat-grass rotation, perennial ryegrass ley) as affected by N fertilizer type and N amount. Total greenhouse gas emission showed a linear increase with N application, with mineral N supply resulting in a higher slope. Product carbon footprint ranged between -66 and 119 kg CO2eq/(GJ NEL) and revealed a quadratic or linear response to fertilizer N input, depending on the cropping system. At N input required for achieving maximum energy yield, perennial ryegrass caused lower emission per product unit than continuous maize or the maize-wheat-grass rotation. The data indicate potential for sustainable intensification when crop management options are adopted to increase resource use efficiency

Lachgasemission und Nitratauswaschung verschiedener Futterproduktionssysteme in Abhängigkeit von der Vornutzung

Intensified agriculture is often associated with nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and nitrate (NO3) leaching losses into groundwater due to high application rates of N-fertilizer, increasing maize cultivation and ploughing up permanent grassland. N2O is an important anthropogenic greenhouse gas and agriculture is one of the main polluters. NO3 leaching endangers groundwater quality. In a field experiment on the organically managed farm “Lindhof” in Northern Germany three different forage production systems (1. crop rotation, 2. continuous silage maize 3. permanent grassland) were established parallelly after a) ploughing up permanent grassland and b) longtime arable use. N2O emissions were measured weekly over the two-year experimental period. Soil water samples were taken over the leaching season (Oct-Mar) once a week and analysed for N-content. The production systems “crop rotation” and “continuous maize” showed significant higher amounts of N2O emissions and NO3 leaching than the newly established or resown grassland. In the system “crop rotation”, maize after grass-clover had the highest emissions, because of high N-mineralization of clover residues, both during and after growing season. Long-term cropping history and manure application had no significant effects, but on plots established on former grassland, emissions and leaching tended to be higher

Yield Progress in Forage Maize in NW Europe—Breeding Progress or Climate Change Effects?

Yield increases in forage maize (Zea mays L.) in NW Europe over time are well documented. The driving causes for these, however, remain unclear as there is little information available regarding the role of plant traits triggering this yield progress. Ten different hybrids from the same maturity group, which have typically been cultivated in Northwest Germany from 1970 to recent and are thus representing breeding progress over four decades, were selected for a 2-year field study in northern Germany. Traits that were investigated included leaf area index, leaf architecture, photosynthesis, radiation use efficiency, root mass, root length density, and turnover. Based on a mixed model analysis with these traits as co-variates, parameters related to leaf characteristics, in particular the number and length of leaves, the radiation use efficiency, and the leaf orientation, were identified as most influential on the yield progress (0.13 tons ha-1 year-1). In contrast to our hypothesis, root biomass only increased negligibly in newer hybrids compared to older ones, confirming the ‘functional equilibrium’ theory for high input production systems. Due to an abundance of nutrients and water in such high input systems, there is no incentive for breeders to select for carbon partitioning toward the rooting system. Breeding evidence to increase forage quality were also negligible, with no change in cob starch concentration, forage digestibility, nor NDF content and NDF digestibility. The observed increase in yield over the last four decades is due to a combination of increased temperature sums (~240 GDD within 40 years), and a higher radiation interception and radiation use efficiency. This higher radiation interception was driven by an increased leaf area index, with a higher number of leaves (16 instead of 14 leaves within 40 years) and longer leaves of newer compared to older hybrids. Future selection and adaptation of maize hybrids to changing environmental conditions are likely to be the key for high productivity and quality and for the economic viability of maize growing and expansion in Northern Europe

Differential regulation of interleukin-6 expression in human fibroblasts by tumor necrosis factor-α and lymphotoxin

AbstractThe treatment of human diploid fibroblasts with tumor necrosis factor (TNP)-α and with lymphotoxin (LT) is associated with induction of interleuk-in-6 (IL-6) transcripts with TNF-α being 10-fold more potent than LT. Here we report on the TNF-α/LT-induced signaling mechanisms responsible for the regulation of IL-6 gene expression in these cells. Run-on assays demonstrated that both TNF-α and LT increase IL-6 mRNA levels by transcriptional activation of this gene. Stability studies of IL-6 transcripts in fibroblasts showed that TNF-α delayed IL-6 mRNA decay but not LT. The induction of IL-6 transcripts by TNF-α and LT was not inhibited by the isoquinoline sulfonamide derivative H7. Similarly, depletion of protein kinase C (PKC) by 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) did not change the ability of TNF-α and LT to induce IL-6 transcripts, demonstrating that stimulation by these agents may not be mediated by activation of PKC. Stimulation of IL-6 transcripts in fibroblasts did also not require new protein synthesis as exposure to the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX) enhanced accumulation of IL-6 mRNA in the presence or absence of TNF-α or LT

N-Umsatz, Spurengasemissionen und Produktivität von Fruchtfolgen zur Biogasproduktion in einer Kalkmarsch Schleswig-Holsteins

Aufgrund des bisher wenig untersuchten Agrarlandschaftsraumes als auch neuartiger Biogasgärreste ist der Effekt der Biogasnutzung auf den Stoffhaushalt von Marschstandorten schwer zu quantifizieren. Auf einem noch nicht entkalkten Marschstandort Nordfries-lands, Schleswig-Holstein, wurden in einem Parzellenversuch mehrjährige Untersuchungen zur N-Düngewirksamkeit und Spurengasemissionen (N2O, NH3) bei Düngung mit Mineraldünger (KAS) und Biogasgärresten durchgeführt. Die N-Dünger wurden zur Produktion von Silomais, Weidelgras und GPS-Weizen als Biogassubstrat genutzt. Biogas-gärreste wurden mit Schleppschläuchen ausgebracht. Bei Verwendung des Mineraldüngers erzielten Maismonokultur, Ackergras sowie eine Fruchtfolge (Mais-Weizen-Welsches Weidelgras) etwa gleich hohe Erträge (ca. 30 t TM ha 1 2a-1). Bei Weizen und Ackergras führte die Düngung mit Biogasgärresten zu deutlich reduzierten Erträgen. NH3-Emissionen lagen aufgrund hoher Windgeschwin- digkeiten höher als in anderen Regionen Schleswig-Holsteins, wobei Ackergras bei weitem die höchsten (80 kg N ha-1 2a-1) und Maismonokultur die geringsten (20 kg N ha-1 2a-1) kumulierten Verluste aufwies. Ohne signifikante Unterschiede zwischen den N-Düngern lagen kumulierte N2O-Emissionen mit 1–5 kg N ha-1 a-1 trotz beträchtlicher N-Aufwand-mengen und des tonreichen Bodens relativ niedrig

Development and validation of explainable machine learning models for risk of mortality in transcatheter aortic valve implantation: TAVI risk machine scores.

AIMS Identification of high-risk patients and individualized decision support based on objective criteria for rapid discharge after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are key requirements in the context of contemporary TAVI treatment. This study aimed to predict 30-day mortality following TAVI based on machine learning (ML) using data from the German Aortic Valve Registry. METHODS AND RESULTS Mortality risk was determined using a random forest ML model that was condensed in the newly developed TAVI Risk Machine (TRIM) scores, designed to represent clinically meaningful risk modelling before (TRIMpre) and in particular after (TRIMpost) TAVI. Algorithm was trained and cross-validated on data of 22 283 patients (729 died within 30 days post-TAVI) and generalisation was examined on data of 5864 patients (146 died). TRIMpost demonstrated significantly better performance than traditional scores [C-statistics value, 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI)] [0.74; 0.83] compared to Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) with C-statistics value 0.69; 95%-CI [0.65; 0.74]). An abridged (aTRIMpost) score comprising 25 features (calculated using a web interface) exhibited significantly higher performance than traditional scores (C-statistics value, 0.74; 95%-CI [0.70; 0.78]). Validation on external data of 6693 patients (205 died within 30 days post-TAVI) of the Swiss TAVI Registry confirmed significantly better performance for the TRIMpost (C-statistics value 0.75, 95%-CI [0.72; 0.79]) compared to STS (C-statistics value 0.67, CI [0.63; 0.70]). CONCLUSION TRIM scores demonstrate good performance for risk estimation before and after TAVI. Together with clinical judgement, they may support standardised and objective decision-making before and after TAVI

Whole exome resequencing reveals recessive mutations in TRAP1 in individuals with CAKUT and VACTERL association

Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) account for approximately half of children with chronic kidney disease and they are the most frequent cause of end-stage renal disease in children in the US. However, its genetic etiology remains mostly elusive. VACTERL association is a rare disorder that involves congenital abnormalities in multiple organs including the kidney and urinary tract in up to 60% of the cases. By homozygosity mapping and whole exome resequencing combined with high-throughput mutation analysis by array-based multiplex PCR and next-generation sequencing, we identified recessive mutations in the gene TNF receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1) in two families with isolated CAKUT and three families with VACTERL association. TRAP1 is a heat shock protein 90-related mitochondrial chaperone possibly involved in antiapoptotic and endoplasmic reticulum-stress signaling. Trap1 is expressed in renal epithelia of developing mouse kidney E13.5 and in the kidney of adult rats, most prominently in proximal tubules and in thick medullary ascending limbs of Henle’s loop. Thus, we identified mutations in TRAP1 as highly likely causing CAKUT or CAKUT in VACTERL association

Siegen Symposium for Geomeasurement Technology - Current and future challenges : from the four-eyes principle to AI

Die klimabedingt zu erwartende Zunahme von Extremwetterereignissen stellt die bebaute Umwelt vor erhebliche Herausforderungen und erfordert die Entwicklung geeigneter Anpassungsstrategien. Der Geomesstechnik kommt dabei eine besondere Bedeutung zu, denn verknüpft mit der mathematisch-mechanischen Modellbildung liefert sie die Grundlage für die Bewertung möglicher geomechanischer Risiken und für die daraus abzuleitenden Planungsmaßnahmen. In diesem Symposium werden die aktuellen Entwicklungen, die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Geomesstechnik in einem interdisziplinären und thematisch breit angelegten Kontext ausgelotet.The expected increase in extreme weather events due to climate change poses considerable challenges to the built environment and requires the development of suitable adaptation strategies. Geomeasurement technology is of particular importance in this context, because linked with mathematical-mechanical modeling it provides the basis for the assessment of possible geomechanical risks and for the planning measures to be derived from them. In this symposium, the current developments, the possibilities and limits of geomeasurement technology will be explored in an interdisciplinary and thematically broad context

Yield Progress of Perennial Ryegrass and Silage Maize - Genetic Gain or Climate Change?

Gains in annual dry matter yield (DMY) from breeding achieved during the last decades are reported to range between 2.5 and 6% per decade for perennial ryegrass (Wilkins & Humphreys, 2003). In contrast, accelerated progress in improving DMY has been achieved for silage maize, varying between 8 and 13% per decade (Lauer et al., 2001). These gains are mainly attributed to (i) genetic yield potential increase, (ii) improved crop management and (iii) increased stress tolerance. The potential impact of climate change on yield progress, however, is disregarded in most studies. The objective of this study therefore was to quantify the contributions of climate change and breeding on yield progress of perennial ryegrass and silage maize by comparing results of long-term simulation studies with data from official variety tests