Intensivierung einer Fruchtfolge unter ökologischen Bewirtschaftungsbedingungen – Bewertung der Auswirkungen auf die Nachhaltigkeit

Kartoffeln und Möhren, die unter ökologischen Bewirtschaftungsbedingungen erzeugt werden, sind am Markt stark nachgefragt. Betriebe, die aufgrund von geeigneten Standortfaktoren und Bodenqualitäten über hackfruchtfähige Ackerflächen verfügen, haben ein großes Interesse daran, im Rahmen der notwendigen Fruchtfolge den Anbau dieser Marktfrüchte zu intensivieren. Dabei muss allerdings sichergestellt werden, dass die Humusreproduktion und die Nährstoffnachlieferung unter diesen intensivierten Bedingungen gewährleistet bleibt. Am Beispiel der Hessischen Staatsdomäne Frankenhausen der Universität Kassel wird diese Entwicklung aufgezeigt und ihre Auswirkungen auf Nachhaltigkeits- und Stabilitätsfaktoren analysiert. Durch die vergleichsweise starken Kaliumdefizite in Verbindung mit leicht negativen Phosphorsalden wird das aus der N2-Fixierung und den wirtschaftseigenen Düngern resultierende Angebot an Stickstoff nicht vollständig in Ertrag umgewandelt. Offensichtlich liegt eine Verschiebung des limitierenden Faktors von Stickstoff zu Kalium vor, was auch an entsprechenden Gehaltsveränderungen im Boden nachgewiesen werden kann

Image segmentation and robust edge detection for collision avoidance in machine tools

Collisions are a major cause of unplanned downtime in small series manufacturing with machine tools. Existing solutions based on geometric simulation do not cover collisions due to setup errors. Therefore a solution is developed to compare camera images of the setup with the simulation, thus detecting discrepancies. The comparison focuses on the product being manufactured (workpiece) and the fixture holding the workpiece, thus the first step consists in segmenting the corresponding region of interest in the image. Subsequently edge detection is applied to the image to extract the relevant contours. Additional processing steps in the spatial and frequency domain are used to alleviate effects of the harsh conditions in the machine, including swarf, fluids and sub-optimal illumination. The comparison of the processed images with the simulation will be presented in a future publication

НАДЕЖНОСТЬ КОНВЕЙРНОГО ТРАНСПОРТА

Досліджено питання комплексної надійності функціонування конвеєрних ліній при відкритій розробці корисних копалин. Наведено статистичні закони розподілу для напрацювання на відмову і термінів служби роликових опор для конвеєрних ліній. Побудовано діаграму причин і результатів для системати- зації причин простоїв конвейєрних ліній з переміщення гірської маси в кар'єрах. Исследован вопрос комплексной надежности функционирования конвейерных линий при открытой разра- ботке полезных ископаемых. Приведены статистические законы распределения для наработки на отказ и сроков службы роликовых опор для конвейерных линий. Построена диаграмма причин и результатов для систематизации причин простоев конвейерных линий по перемещению горной массы в карьерах

ABILITY OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SOYBEAN BRADYRHIZOBIA INOCULANTS FOR COOL GROWING CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL EUROPE

In Central Europe the inoculation of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) with different Bradyrhizobia inoculants has led to unsatisfying nodulation results under low temperature conditions. The aim of this study was to test the capacity of commercially available inoculants under cool growing conditions in Central Europe. In 2011 and 2012 four Bradyrhizobia inoculants were tested on three early soybean varieties in a field trial in Germany. The number of nodules, yield and protein content were assessed. Two years data showed a successful nodulation of Product 4, Product 3 and Product 2 while Product 1 cannot be recommended. Independently of soybean variety, all of the three successful inoculants can be advised regarding grain yield. Protein content and protein yield depend on the combination of inoculants and soybean variety. Over the years Product 4 was the most reliable inoculant

Antibody sequence-based prediction of pH gradient elution in multimodal chromatography

Multimodal chromatography has emerged as a promising technique for antibody purification, owing to its ca- pacity to selectively capture and separate target molecules. However, the optimization of chromatography pa- rameters remains a challenge due to the intricate nature of protein-ligand interactions. To tackle this issue, efficient predictive tools are essential for the development and optimization of multimodal chromatography processes. In this study, we introduce a methodology that predicts the elution behavior of antibodies in multi- modal chromatography based on their amino acid sequences. We analyzed a total of 64 full-length antibodies, including IgG1, IgG4, and IgG-like multispecific formats, which were eluted using linear pH gradients from pH 9.0 to 4.0 on the anionic mixed-mode resin Capto adhere. Homology models were constructed, and 1312 antibody-specific physicochemical descriptors were calculated for each molecule. Our analysis identified six key structural features of the multimodal antibody interaction, which were correlated with the elution behavior, emphasizing the antibody variable region. The results show that our methodology can predict pH gradient elution for a diverse range of antibodies and antibody formats, with a test set R2 of 0.898. The developed model can inform process development by predicting initial conditions for multimodal elution, thereby reducing trial and error during process optimization. Furthermore, the model holds the potential to enable an in silico manu- facturability assessment by screening target antibodies that adhere to standardized purification conditions. In conclusion, this study highlights the feasibility of using structure-based prediction to enhance antibody purifi- cation in the biopharmaceutical industry. This approach can lead to more efficient and cost-effective process development while increasing process understanding

Ackerwildkraut-Blühstreifen zur Integration autochthoner Ackerwildkräuter in ökologisch bewirtschafteten Ackerflächen

Are flower-strips composed of arable field plants a tool to integrate rare species into organic fields? In the surrounding of the Hessian State Domain Frankenhausen seeds of rare annual field plants were collected and reproduced. The autochthonous seeds and also the corn-cockle have been integrated into a mixture that has been tested to which extent the flower-strips are able to suppress soil-borne weed species. The vegetation of the arable field plant strips has been monitored by phytosociological relevees. A certain amount of seeds is needed to reach satisfactory results. The corncockle affords special management because of its biology and its possible toxicity

Dynamic Up-Regulation of PD-L1 in the Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibition for recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancer has brought a new treatment option for patients suffering from advanced oral cancers without a chance for curation using surgery or radiotherapy. The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors in most cases is based on the expression levels of PD-L1 in the tumor tissue. To date, there is a lack of data on the dynamic regulation of PD-L1 during disease progression. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the expression levels of PD-L1 in a large cohort of patients (n = 222) with oral squamous cell carcinoma including primary and recurrent tumors. Semiautomatic digital pathology scoring was used for the assessment of PD-L1 expression levels in primary and recurrent oral squamous cell carcinoma. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the protein expression at different stages of the disease. We found a significant up-regulation of PD-L1 expression from primary disease to recurrent tumors (mean PD-L1 H-scores: primary tumors: 47.1 ± 31.4; recurrent tumors: 103.5 ± 62.8, p < 0.001). In several cases, a shift from low PD-L1 expression in primary tumors to high PD-L1 expression in recurrent tumors was identified. Multivariate Cox regression analysis did not reveal a significantly higher risk of death (p = 0.078) or recurrence (p = 0.926) in patients with higher PD-L1 expression. Our findings indicate that the exclusive analysis of primary tumor tissue prior to the application of checkpoint blockade may lead to the misjudgment of PD-L1 expression in recurrent tumors

Heterogeneous preferences toward landscape externalities of wind turbines - Combining choices and attitudes in a hybrid model

Expanding the share of renewable energy sources might substantially increase externalities as, for example, wind turbines may disturb the landscape and negatively affect biodiversity. This paper investigates the public's sensitivities towards these externalities by using discrete choice experiments and shows how preferences differ across inhabitants of our study region. As a further insight into the sources for these variations, a hybrid choice model is employed in order to incorporate individuals' latent attitudes in the estimated model. Our latent class structure allocates individuals to classes according to underlying latent attitudes that also influence the answers to attitudinal questions. We show that these underlying attitudes are a function of a number of socio-demographic characteristics, with young people, men with low income and those living closer to turbines having a stronger pro-wind power generation attitude. The inclusion of the attitudes in the class allocation component of the latent class model leads to a richer picture of people's valuations, revealing, for example, antagonistic preferences of two distinct groups of respondents, i.e. advocates and opponents of wind power generation