Effects of daytime food intake on memory consolidation during sleep or sleep deprivation.

Sleep enhances memory consolidation. Bearing in mind that food intake produces many metabolic signals that can influence memory processing in humans (e.g., insulin), the present study addressed the question as to whether the enhancing effect of sleep on memory consolidation is affected by the amount of energy consumed during the preceding daytime. Compared to sleep, nocturnal wakefulness has been shown to impair memory consolidation in humans. Thus, a second question was to examine whether the impaired memory consolidation associated with sleep deprivation (SD) could be compensated by increased daytime energy consumption. To these aims, 14 healthy normal-weight men learned a finger tapping sequence (procedural memory) and a list of semantically associated word pairs (declarative memory). After the learning period, standardized meals were administered, equaling either ∼50% or ∼150% of the estimated daily energy expenditure. In the morning, after sleep or wakefulness, memory consolidation was tested. Plasma glucose was measured both before learning and retrieval. Polysomnographic sleep recordings were performed by electroencephalography (EEG). Independent of energy intake, subjects recalled significantly more word pairs after sleep than they did after SD. When subjects stayed awake and received an energy oversupply, the number of correctly recalled finger sequences was equal to those seen after sleep. Plasma glucose did not differ among conditions, and sleep time in the sleep conditions was not influenced by the energy intake interventions. These data indicate that the daytime energy intake level affects neither sleep's capacity to boost the consolidation of declarative and procedural memories, nor sleep's quality. However, high energy intake was followed by an improved procedural but not declarative memory consolidation under conditions of SD. This suggests that the formation of procedural memory is not only triggered by sleep but is also sensitive to the fluctuations in the energy state of the body

Yield and arbuscular myccorhiza fungal root colonization of organically or minerally fertilized wheat grown on a dry, sandy soil

We investigated wheat yield and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungal root colonization and spore formation in response to long-term mineral or organic soil fertilization. Plots were either fertilized with high or low amounts of mineral fertilizer or cattle manure since 27 years. At low fertilization levels there was no difference in yield between minerally and organically fertilized plants. High levels of mineral fertilizer application reduced wheat yields. Probable reasons can be that either the high nitrogen availability was less effectively used for grain development of minerally fertilized plants, or the mineral fertilization rendered the plants more sensitive towards drought stress. The extent of AM fungal root colonization appeared to depend on the plant P nutritional status rather than the type of fertilizer applied. The low fertilization treatments showed higher rates of AM root colonization. The number of AM spores, however, was higher in organically compared with minerally fertilized soil, indicating that organic fertilization increased reproduction of these beneficial microbes under dry soil conditions

Ertrag und Wurzelkolonisation mit arbuskulären Mykorrhiza- Pilzen von organisch oder mineralisch gedüngtem Weizen auf trockenem, sandigen Boden

We investigated wheat yield and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungal root colonization and spore formation in response to fertilization, either with high or low amounts of mineral fertilizer or cattle manure since 27 years. At low rates there was no difference in yield between minerally and organically fertilized plants. High rates of mineral fertilizers reduced yields. Reasons can be that either the high nitrogen availability was less effectively used for grain development of minerally fertilized plants, or the mineral fertilization rendered the plants more sensitive towards drought stress. The extent of AM fungal root colonization appeared to depend on the plant P nutritional status rather than the type of fertilizer applied. The lower fertilization showed higher rates of AM root colonization. The number of AM spores, however, was higher in organically compared with minerally fertilized soil, indicating that organic fertilization increased reproduction of these beneficial microbes under dry soil conditions

Organically fertilized plants can manage water-limited growth conditions better than minerally fertilized plants. Results from a multi-year experiment

Since 1980 a field trial is carried out on a sandy soil under dry-warm climate conditions (590 mm annual precipitation, 9.5°C annual mean air temperature) comparing farmyard manure with and without biodynamic preparations and mineral fertilizer, each treatment at three application rates between 60 and 140 kg total nitrogen per hectare. The amount of water available in June was a relevant yield determining factor (p<0.05) only for minerally fertilized wheat. During 13 years the manure fertilized wheat yielded between 30 and 50 dt ha-1, irrespective to water availability. Manure fertilization gave lower maximum yields but higher minimum yields showing a better yield stability. With manure fertilization the wheat plants realized a better harvest index of 45% compared to mineral fertilization (41%; p<0.05). Other studies in this experiment revealed an enhanced root growth with better root distribution, even in the sub-soil, with manure fertilization and biodynamic preparations. This may have enabled the organically fertilized cropping system to compensate better for restricted growth conditions

Rapid cooling and increased storminess triggered by freshwater in the North Atlantic

Recent winters have been unique due to the rapid and extreme cooling of the subpolar North Atlantic. Here, we present a novel view on its causes and consequences. Combining in‐situ observations with remote sensing and atmospheric reanalysis data, we show that increased freshening of the subpolar region gives rise to a faster surface cooling in fall and winter. Large freshwater events, in particular, result in pronounced cold anomalies with sharp temperature gradients that promote an enhanced storminess. The storms reinforce the cooling by driving stronger heat losses and modulating the surface flow. Consistent with this mechanism, past freshwater events have been followed by cold anomalies in winter of ~‐2°C and increases in the North Atlantic Oscillation index of up to~0.6 within 3 years. We expect that future freshwater discharges into the North Atlantic will amplify the cold anomaly and trigger an enhanced wintertime storminess with far‐reaching climatic implications

Ertrag und Korninhaltsstoffe von Amaranth (Neuer Typ) bei organischer und mineralischer Düngung auf einem Sandstandort

Mit dem niedrigem Düngungsniveau erzielte Mineraldüngung einen höheren Ertrag als Stallmist, bei hoher Aufwandmenge jedoch waren die Mistvarianten überlegen (bis zu 28 dt ha-1). In unserem Versuch standen 50 Pflanzen pro m-2, ohne sicheren Einfluss der Düngung. Das Tausendkorngewicht und der Fettgehalt der Körner blieben ebenfalls ohne signifikanten Düngungseffekt. Der Rohproteingehalt der Körner war mit mineralischer Düngung immer höher als mit organischer und stieg bei jeder Düngungsart von der mittleren zur hohen Aufwandmenge signifikant an

Der Vorteil von Stallmist gegenüber pflanzlichem organischem Dünger für den Ertrag von Rotklee und den Humusgehalt des Bodens

Die Wirkung pflanzlicher organischer Dünger (meist Leguminosenschrot) wurde bislang vorwiegend im Jahr der Anwendung, aber nicht als Langzeiteffekt auf Erträge und Bodenentwicklung untersucht. Ein direkter Vergleich mit Stallmist unter Feldbedingungen findet in der Regel nicht statt. Deshalb haben wir in einem Langzeitversuch (seit 1996) Stallmistdüngung, organische Dünger pflanzlicher Herkunft (meist Ackerbohnenschrot) und Mineraldüngung miteinander verglichen. In allen drei Schnitten brachte die Nachwirkung der pflanzlichen Dünger niedrigere Frisch- und Trockenmasse-Erträge als die N-gleichen Stallmistvarianten. Der Ertrag nach Mineraldüngung lag zwischen den beiden anderen Düngerarten, kam aber der Mistvariante meist näher als der Ackerbohnenvariante. Den insgesamt höchsten Ertrag lieferte Rotklee nach Stallmist in höherer Aufwandmenge. Die gleiche Differenzierung zeigten zuvor schon die Humusgehalte. Auch hier lag die pflanzliche organische Düngung mit 0,74 % Corg statistisch auf dem Niveau der Mineraldüngung