Gewinnung von Basissaatgut für die produktionsintegrierte Förderung seltener und gefährdeter Ackerwildkräuter

Re-introduction and integrated conservation of rare arable plants is one approach to restore agro-biodiversity. Our study investigated occurrence and population size of rare arable plant species on 94 fields in Bavaria. 50 threatened species could be found with populations >100 individuals. This enabled an initial collection of seeds which will be propagated and sown in extensively managed fields

Descriptive Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Counseling and Coordination Model in Psychosocial Care. Integration of Health Care and Social Rehabilitation

Introduction: A psychosocial outreach clinic was established to offer counseling and coordination of healthcare and complementary services for persons with psychosocial and mental problems. The cost-effectiveness of these services was measured based on a pre-post comparison. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted with clients of the outreach clinic. Data on resource consumption and quality of life were collected at baseline and follow-up after 3, 6, and 12 months using the Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory to assess service utilization, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey to assess quality of life. The objective of the present analysis was to estimate the relation between monetary expenditure and QALYs (quality-adjusted life-years), before and after the outreach clinic was established, descriptively. The analysis was constructed from payer’s perspective and was supplemented by a sensitivity analysis. Results: A total of 85 participants were included. Total annual expenditures before the intervention were 5,832 € per client for all service segments. During the 12-months study duration expenditures decreased to 4,350 € including the costs associated with outreach clinic services. QALYs for the 12-month study period were 0.6618 and increased about 0.0568 compared to the period before. Discussion: Despite methodological limitations due to small sample size, a pre-post comparison and the retrospective cost data collection, this study suggests acceptability of the outreach clinic as cost-effective. Conclusion: The activities of the outreach clinic as an integrated care model seem to be cost-effective regarding the relation between monetary expenditures and clients’ quality of life

Tolerance induced via TLR2 and TLR4 in human dendritic cells: role of IRAK-1

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While dendritic cells (DCs) can induce tolerance in T cells, little is known about tolerance induction in DCs themselves. We have analysed tolerance induced in human <it>in-vitro </it>generated DCs by repeated stimulation with ligands for TLR4 and TLR2.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>DCs stimulated with the TLR4 ligand LPS did show a rapid and pronounced expression of TNF mRNA and protein. When DCs were pre-cultured for 2 days with 5 ng LPS/ml then the subsequent response to stimulation with a high dose of LPS (500 ng/ml) was strongly reduced for both TNF mRNA and protein. At the promoter level there was a reduced transactivation by the -1173 bp TNF promoter and by a construct with a tetrameric NF-κB motif. Within the signalling cascade leading to NF-κB activation we found an ablation of the IRAK-1 adaptor protein in LPS-tolerant DCs. Pre-culture of DCs with the TLR2 ligand Pam3Cys also led to tolerance with respect to TNF gene expression and IRAK-1 protein was ablated in such tolerant cells as well, while IRAK-4 protein levels were unchanged.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data show that TLR-ligands can render DCs tolerant with respect to TNF gene expression by a mechanism that likely involves blockade of signal transduction at the level of IRAK-1.</p

Einfluss von Deckfrucht und Fruchtfolge auf die Wiederansiedlung gefährdeter Ackerwildpflanzen

Due to recent intensification of land use the arable flora is considered to belong to the most threatened groups of plants in Europe. Therefore, the objective of the project ‘re-introduction of rare arable plants on organic farms in Germany’ is to develop methods for a successful re-establishment of arable plants on fields with favourable management conditions. The present study describes the effects of different cover crops and crop rotations on the establishment of three endangered species (Consolida regalis, Legousia speculum-veneris, Lithospermum arvense) in a field experiment at Gräfelfing close to Munich. Results from the first 3 years indicate that successful establishment mainly depends on crop competition during the 1st year. As individual species respond differently to crop competition, successful conservation may necessitate a spatially differentiated concept where management of different sites is adapted to the individual requirements of different species

Ultrafine carbon particles down-regulate CYP1B1 expression in human monocytes

Cytochrome P450 monoxygenases play an important role in the defence against inhaled toxic compounds and in metabolizing a wide range of xenobiotics and environmental contaminants. In ambient aerosol the ultrafine particle fraction which penetrates deeply into the lungs is considered to be a major factor for adverse health effects. The cells mainly affected by inhaled particles are lung epithelial cells and cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. RESULTS: In this study we have analyzed the effect of a mixture of fine TiO2 and ultrafine carbon black Printex 90 particles (P90) on the expression of cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) in human monocytes, macrophages, bronchial epithelial cells and epithelial cell lines. CYP1B1 expression is strongly down-regulated by P90 in monocytes with a maximum after P90 treatment for 3 h while fine and ultrafine TiO2 had no effect. CYP1B1 was down-regulated up to 130-fold and in addition CYP1A1 mRNA was decreased 13-fold. In vitro generated monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), epithelial cell lines, and primary bronchial epithelial cells also showed reduced CYP1B1 mRNA levels. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is inducing CYB1B1 but ultrafine P90 can still down-regulate gene expression at 0.1 muM of BaP. The P90-induced reduction of CYP1B1 was also demonstrated at the protein level using Western blot analysis. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the P90-induced reduction of CYP gene expression may interfere with the activation and/or detoxification capabilities of inhaled toxic compounds