Gezielte Belichtung von Kartoffelknollen – Ein umweltschonendes Verfahren zur Produktion von gesundem Pflanzgut im ökologischem Anbau

Als ein richtungsweisender Ansatz zur Verbesserung der Pflanzkartoffelproduktion im ökologischen Anbau ist die Nutzung der natürlichen Abwehrkräfte der Kartoffeln anzusehen. Die in Kartoffelknollen vorkommenden Glykoalkaloide können antibiotische Reaktionen sowie eine Anti-Fraß-Wirkung auslösen. Durch eine Belichtung von Kartoffelknollen ist eine verstärkte Akkumulation von Glykoalkaloiden in den Knollen möglich. Der Schwerpunkt dieses Projektes wurde deshalb auf die Verbesserung der Pflanzgutqualität durch eine Belichtung der geernteten Knollen während bestimmter Phasen der Lagerperiode gelegt. Lichtbehandlungen mit verschiedenen Lichtspektren unter Berücksichtigung von Belichtungsdauer, Terminen und Sortenunterschieden sowie dem Vergleich von natürlicher Infektion und künstlicher Inokulation wurden durchgeführt. Im Projekt wurden dabei zwei grundlegende Versuchsansätze verfolgt. Zum einen wurde eine Nach-Ernte-Belichtung der Knollen zur Verbesserung der Lagerqualität durchgeführt. Zum anderen erfolgte im Frühjahr eine Vor-Legen-Belichtung, um so den Entwicklungsverlauf der Pflanzen positiv zu unterstützen und damit auch die Quantität und Qualität des Erntegutes zu erhöhen. In den Versuchen führte die gezielte Belichtung von Kartoffelknollen neben dem Ergrünen zu einer Erhöhung des Glykoalkaloidgehaltes. Ein steigender Glykoalkaloidgehalt reduzierte den Erregerbefall auf den Knollen, wobei die Varianten Hochdruck-Quecksilberdampf-Lampe und Hochdruck-Natriumdampf-Lampe die besten Ergebnisse erzielten. Eine 14-tägige Belichtung mit einer Hochdruck-Quecksilberdampf-Lampe bewirkte eine deutliche Reduzierung der Rhizoctonia-Sklerotien auf der Knollenoberfläche sowie der Knollenanzahl mit Sklerotien und dry core-Symptomen. Die Belichtung von Kartoffelknollen mit einer Hochdruck-Natriumdampf-Lampe oder einer Hochdruck-Quecksilberdampf-Lampe führte ebenfalls zu einer deutlichen Reduzierung der Befallsstärke von Helminthosporium solani, während die Befallshäufigkeit nicht beeinflusst wurde. Zur Kontrolle von Erwinia spp. wirkte sich ein Lichtspektrum mit einem höheren Blauanteil (Hochdruck-Quecksilberdampf-Lampe) besonders befallsmindernd auf die Knollensymptome aus. Die bisher erzielten Ergebnisse zeigen, dass durch eine gezielte Belichtung die natürliche Abwehr von Kartoffelknollen gegenüber bestimmten Schaderregern gefördert werden kann. Obwohl die erzielten Ergebnisse sehr erfolgversprechend sind, müssen weitere Versuche zur Optimierung dieses Verfahrens durchgeführt werden, um den Wirkungsgrad der Belichtungsmethoden zu erhöhen

UK should prioritise NATO, Euro-Atlantic cooperation and resilience in post-Brexit European security

Despite Brexit, the EU have an interest in further collaborating with the UK, while the UK also need to pursue a cooperative approach because of their high level of convergences of interest and objectives in European security matters, writes Nele Marianne Ewers-Peters

Germany’s heavy burden

Germany will take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union today. Nele Marianne Ewers-Peters writes that the country will face the unenviable task of attempting to chart a path of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, while also addressing the numerous other issues and commitments confronting the EU’s member states

Translocation and potential neurological effects of fine and ultrafine particles a critical update

ABSTRACT: Particulate air pollution has been associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Evidence for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative effects of ambient particles was reviewed as part of a workshop. The purpose of this critical update is to summarize the evidence presented for the mechanisms involved in the translocation of particles from the lung to other organs and to highlight the potential of particles to cause neurodegenerative effects.Fine and ultrafine particles, after deposition on the surfactant film at the air-liquid interface, are displaced by surface forces exerted on them by surfactant film and may then interact with primary target cells upon this displacement. Ultrafine and fine particles can then penetrate through the different tissue compartments of the lungs and eventually reach the capillaries and circulating cells or constituents, e.g. erythrocytes. These particles are then translocated by the circulation to other organs including the liver, the spleen, the kidneys, the heart and the brain, where they may be deposited. It remains to be shown by which mechanisms ultrafine particles penetrate through pulmonary tissue and enter capillaries. In addition to translocation of ultrafine particles through the tissue, fine and coarse particles may be phagocytized by macrophages and dendritic cells which may carry the particles to lymph nodes in the lung or to those closely associated with the lungs. There is the potential for neurodegenerative consequence of particle entry to the brain. Histological evidence of neurodegeneration has been reported in both canine and human brains exposed to high ambient PM levels, suggesting the potential for neurotoxic consequences of PM-CNS entry. PM mediated damage may be caused by the oxidative stress pathway. Thus, oxidative stress due to nutrition, age, genetics among others may increase the susceptibility for neurodegenerative diseases. The relationship between PM exposure and CNS degeneration can also be detected under controlled experimental conditions. Transgenic mice (Apo E -/-), known to have high base line levels of oxidative stress, were exposed by inhalation to well characterized, concentrated ambient air pollution. Morphometric analysis of the CNS indicated unequivocally that the brain is a critical target for PM exposure and implicated oxidative stress as a predisposing factor that links PM exposure and susceptibility to neurodegeneration.Together, these data present evidence for potential translocation of ambient particles on organs distant from the lung and the neurodegenerative consequences of exposure to air pollutants

Cytoreductive Surgery with the PlasmaJet Improved Quality-of-Life for Advanced Stage Ovarian Cancer Patients

Background: Knowledge of quality-of-life after cytoreductive surgery is important to counsel patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer prior to surgery. The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of the PlasmaJet Surgical device during cytoreductive surgery has an effect on the quality-of-life of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: Data included in this prospective observational study were derived from the PlaComOv study, in which patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer were randomly assigned to have cytoreductive surgery with or without adjuvant use of the PlasmaJet. Quality-of-life was measured before surgery and one, six, 12, and 24 months after surgery with three questionnaires: the EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-OV28, and EQ-5D-5L. Results: Between 2018 and 2020, 326 patients were enrolled in the trial. The overall response rate was high, with the lowest response rate at 24 months of 77%. At 6 months, quality-of-life was higher in the intervention group (95%CI 0.009; 0.081, p = 0.045). At 12 months, quality-of-life was higher in the intervention group with fewer symptoms of fatigue, appetite loss, and diarrhea (95%CI 0.6; 10,0, p = 0.027); similarly, patients in the intervention group reported a better body image (95%CI −14.2; −3.0, p = 0.003) and a higher score on the visual analog scale (95%CI 1.99; 11.15, p = 0.005). At 24 months postoperatively, no further difference was found between the two groups except for pain (95%CI −12.9; −0.8, p = 0.027) and body image (95%CI −13.808; −0.733, p = 0.029). A higher quality-of-life in the intervention group was partially explained by the mediator ‘surgery outcome’. Conclusions: This study demonstrated knowledge of patients’ quality-of-life until two years after cytoreductive surgery. The use of the PlasmaJet Surgical device during cytoreductive surgery leads to a higher quality-of-life than conventional surgery with electrocoagulation alone. Even after adjustment for the mediator of surgical outcome, a higher quality-of-life was seen in patients who had surgery with the use of the PlasmaJet device.</p

Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation From HLA-Mismatched Donors for Pediatric Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treated According to the 2003 BFM and 2007 International-BFM Studies: Impact of Disease Risk on Outcomes.

Summary Rational Allogeneic HSCT is beneficial for pediatric patients with relapsed or (very) high-risk ALL in remission. A total of 1115 consecutive patients were included in the ALL SCT 2003 BFM study and the ALL SCT 2007-International study and were stratified according to relapse risk (Standard vs. High vs. Very High Risk of Relapse) and donor type (Matched Sibling vs. Matched Donor vs. Mismatched Donor). Patients and methods A total of 148 patients (60% male, median age 8.7 years; B-cell precursor ALL: 75%) were transplanted from MMD, which was defined as either less than 9/10 HLA-compatible donors or less than 5/6 unrelated cord blood after myelo-ablative conditioning regimen (TBI-based: 67%) for HRR (n=42) or VHRR disease (n=106). The stem cell source was either BM (n=31), unmanipulated PBSCs (n=28), T-cell ex vivo depleted PBSCs (n=59) or cord blood (n=25). The median follow-up was 5.1 years. Results The 4-year OS and EFS was 56±4% and 52±4%, respectively, for the entire cohort. Patients transplanted from MMD for HRR disease obtained remarkable 4-y OS and EFS values of 82±6% and 80±6%, respectively, while VHRR patients obtained values of 45±5% and 42±5% (p Conclusion HSCT with a mismatched donor is feasible in pediatric ALL patients but leads to inferior results compared to HSCT with better matched donors, at least for patients transplanted for VHRR. The results are strongly affected by disease status. The main cause of treatment failure is still relapse, highlighting the urgent need for interventional strategies after HSCT for patients with residual leukemia before and/or after transplantatio

The impact of donor type on the outcome of pediatric patients with very high risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A study of the ALL SCT 2003 BFM-SG and 2007-BFM-International SG

Allogeneic HSCT represents the only potentially curative treatment for very high risk (VHR) ALL. Two consecutive international prospective studies, ALL-SCT-(I)BFM 2003 and 2007 were conducted in 1150 pediatric patients. 569 presented with VHR disease leading to any kind of HSCT. All patients >2 year old were transplanted after TBI-based MAC. The median follow-up was 5 years. 463 patients were transplanted from matched donor (MD) and 106 from mismatched donor (MMD). 214 were in CR1. Stem cell source was unmanipulated BM for 330 patients, unmanipulated PBSC for 135, ex vivo T-cell depleted PBSC for 62 and cord-blood for 26. There were more advanced disease, more ex vivo T-cell depletion, and more chemotherapy based conditioning regimen for patients transplanted from MMD as compared to those transplanted from MSD or MD. Median follow up (reversed Kaplan Meier estimator) was 4.99 years, median follow up of survivals was 4.88, range (0.01–11.72) years. The 4-year CI of extensive cGvHD was 13 ± 2% and 17 ± 4% (p = NS) for the patients transplanted from MD and MMD, respectively. 4-year EFS was statistically better for patients transplanted from MD (60 ± 2% vs. 42 ± 5%, p < 0.001) for the whole cohort. This difference does not exist if considering separately patients treated in the most recent study. There was no difference in 4-year CI of relapse. The 4-year NRM was lower for patients transplanted from MD (9 ± 1% vs. 23 ± 4%, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, donor-type appears as a negative risk-factor for OS, EFS, and NRM. This paper demonstrates the impact of donor type on overall results of allogeneic stem cell transplantation for very-high risk pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia with worse results when using MMD stem cell source

Die Bibliothek als Erfolgsfaktor - 10 Jahre danach

Im Jahr 2022 feiert die Universitätsbibliothek Bochum ihr 60. Jubiläum. Die UB Bochum ist auf dem Campus der Ruhr-Universität Bochum neben ihrer Rolle als professionelle Dienstleisterin für Studium, Lehre und Forschung längst ein attraktiver Lern- und Begegnungsort, geographisch zentral und in Sachen Digitalisierung sowie Vernetzung und Kooperationen zukunftsweisend