Perspectives on European organic apple breeding and propagation under the frame of LIVESEED Project

Apples are the most prominent fruits produced in Europe. However, their organic production is very challenging and most cultivars can only be produced economically with copper application to combat fungal diseases. Therefore, the existing cultivars need to be replaced by more resilient genotypes also considering improvement of the rootstocks for better adaptation to organic soil, fertility conditions and new diseases. The objective of LIVESEED Horizon 2020 project is to improve the performance and sustainability of organic agriculture by boosting organic seed and plant breeding efforts, and increasing the availability of cultivars adapted to organic growing conditions. LIVESEED apple task aims to improve breeding for organic apple production through a network that will join forces, share knowledge and genetic resources. Organic apple breeding priorities until today should concentrate on several key issues, the main ones being: high quality and regularly bearing apple varieties with durable disease and pest resistances. Ongoing initiatives will be connected and a European network for testing candidate genotypes under organic conditions will be established to join forces, breeding strategies and share knowledge and genetic resources

Assessment of cardiac rejection by MR-imaging and MR-spectroscopy

Background: Detection of cardiac rejection is a major problem in cardiac transplantation. The gold standard is, and remains, endomyocardial biopsy. Purpose: Evaluation of MR-imaging and MR-spectroscopy for detection of cardiac rejection. Methods: Orthotopic cardiac transplantation (HTX) was performed in 13 pigs (body weight 30 kg). All animals obtained immunosuppressive (triple) therapy for 1 week after the operation. Thereafter immunosuppression was stopped to induce cardiac rejection. MRI and MRS (1.5 Tesla General Electrics Signa) were performed pre- and post-operatively on days 10, 17, 24 and 31. The degree of rejection was determined post-operatively using endomyocardial biopsy (Texas grading score). Results: (1) MR-imaging: LV function remained unchanged after HTX. LV mass increased (+42%; P<0.05) with cardiac rejection. (2) MR-spectroscopy: a marked reduction in the ratio of phosphocreatine and adenosine triphosphate, respectively, to inorganic phosphate was observed in the rejecting hearts. (3) Histologic grading confirmed cardiac rejection after stopping immunosuppression. The Texas score was 5.7±0.8 at autopsy. Conclusions: MR-imaging and MR-spectroscopy allow the detection of changes associated with cardiac rejection. Both techniques are correlated with histologic rejection. However, endomyocardial biopsy remains the gold standard for reliable detection of cardiac rejectio

Assessment of cardiac rejection by MR-imaging and MR-spectroscopy

Background: Detection of cardiac rejection is a major problem in cardiac transplantation. The gold standard is, and remains, endomyocardial biopsy. Purpose: Evaluation of MR-imaging and MR-spectroscopy for detection of cardiac rejection. Methods: Orthotopic cardiac transplantation (HTX) was performed in 13 pigs (body weight 30 kg). All animals obtained immunosuppressive (triple) therapy for 1 week after the operation. Thereafter immunosuppression was stopped to induce cardiac rejection. MRI and MRS (1.5 Tesla General Electrics Signa) were performed pre- and post-operatively on days 10, 17, 24 and 31. The degree of rejection was determined post-operatively using endomyocardial biopsy (Texas grading score). Results: (1) MR-imaging: LV function remained unchanged after HTX. LV mass increased (+42%; P<0.05) with cardiac rejection. (2) MR-spectroscopy: a marked reduction in the ratio of phosphocreatine and adenosine triphosphate, respectively, to inorganic phosphate was observed in the rejecting hearts. (3) Histologic grading confirmed cardiac rejection after stopping immunosuppression. The Texas score was 5.7±0.8 at autopsy. Conclusions: MR-imaging and MR-spectroscopy allow the detection of changes associated with cardiac rejection. Both techniques are correlated with histologic rejection. However, endomyocardial biopsy remains the gold standard for reliable detection of cardiac rejection

Prevention of neointimal proliferation by immunosuppression in synthetic vascular grafts

Objective: Immunosuppressive agents have been proposed to reduce neointimal hyperplasia in synthetic vascular grafts. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of rapamycins (systemic vs. local vs. oral administration) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) to reduce intimal hyperplasia in infrarenal synthetic vascular grafts of the rat. Methods: Fifty-four Wistar rats (250 g) completed the study after a synthetic vascular graft (ePTFE, Gore-tex, 2 mm diameter, 10 mm length) was implanted end-to-end in the infrarenal aorta. The animals were divided into three groups: group 1 consisted of 12 control animals, group 2 consisted of 37 rats receiving rapamycins, either per os (RAD, 1.5 or 3 mg/kg), intraperitoneally (RPM, 1.5 or 3 mg/kg) or locally (RPM soaking of the graft); and in group 3 (n = 5), MMF (40 mg/kg) was administered orally. The animals were followed weekly with weight controls and signs of toxicity for 30 (n = 37) and 60 (n = 17) days, respectively. All animals were sacrificed and underwent histological examination at completion of the study. Results: All animals survived in groups 1 and 3, but five died in group 2. The weight gain was normal in all groups, except for the subgroup 2a receiving high dose rapamycins orally. All rats in group 3 suffered from diarrhea, whereas animals receiving high dose rapamycins showed toxic signs (hair loss, wound healing problems). Histological examination showed a significant increase in intimal hyperplasia in group 1 (0.03±0.01 and 0.14±0.05 μm after 30 and 60 days, respectively; P < 0.01). Rapamycins in either application or dosage had no significant effect on intimal hyperplasia. Conclusions: Local or systemic administration of rapamycins has no effect on intimal hyperplasia in synthetic vascular grafts. In contrast, toxic signs with weight loss were observed in animals treated with high dose rapamycins, but not in those treated with MMF. Thus, in the rat model, immunosuppresssion with rapamycins or MMF cannot be recommended for the prevention of intimal hyperplasia in the synthetic vascular graft mode

Prevention of neointimal proliferation by immunosuppression in synthetic vascular grafts

Objective: Immunosuppressive agents have been proposed to reduce neointimal hyperplasia in synthetic vascular grafts. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of rapamycins (systemic vs. local vs. oral administration) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) to reduce intimal hyperplasia in infrarenal synthetic vascular grafts of the rat. Methods: Fifty-four Wistar rats (250 g) completed the study after a synthetic vascular graft (ePTFE, Gore-tex, 2 mm diameter, 10 mm length) was implanted end-to-end in the infrarenal aorta. The animals were divided into three groups: group 1 consisted of 12 control animals, group 2 consisted of 37 rats receiving rapamycins, either per os (RAD, 1.5 or 3 mg/kg), intraperitoneally (RPM, 1.5 or 3 mg/kg) or locally (RPM soaking of the graft); and in group 3 (n = 5), MMF (40 mg/kg) was administered orally. The animals were followed weekly with weight controls and signs of toxicity for 30 (n = 37) and 60 (n = 17) days, respectively. All animals were sacrificed and underwent histological examination at completion of the study. Results: All animals survived in groups 1 and 3, but five died in group 2. The weight gain was normal in all groups, except for the subgroup 2a receiving high dose rapamycins orally. All rats in group 3 suffered from diarrhea, whereas animals receiving high dose rapamycins showed toxic signs (hair loss, wound healing problems). Histological examination showed a significant increase in intimal hyperplasia in group 1 (0.03±0.01 and 0.14±0.05 μm after 30 and 60 days, respectively; P < 0.01). Rapamycins in either application or dosage had no significant effect on intimal hyperplasia. Conclusions: Local or systemic administration of rapamycins has no effect on intimal hyperplasia in synthetic vascular grafts. In contrast, toxic signs with weight loss were observed in animals treated with high dose rapamycins, but not in those treated with MMF. Thus, in the rat model, immunosuppresssion with rapamycins or MMF cannot be recommended for the prevention of intimal hyperplasia in the synthetic vascular graft model

Potential of a short rotation coppice poplar as a feedstock for platform chemicals and lignin-based building blocks

In the context of a biorefinery, the potential of the short rotation coppice “poplar with bark” as a feedstock for the acid-catalyzed ethanol-water Organosolv process and furthermore for possible applications of the biomass components was investigated aiming at optimal separation of the non-standardized woody biomass. The study was supported and evaluated by an experimental design (Box-Behnken). The statistical analysis showed an increase in lignin yield with rising process intensity with an optimum for precipitated lignin yield of 42%. A change in downstream processing from lignin precipitation by simple dilution of the reaction water to stripping of the ethanol provided a 10% higher lignin yield. Molecular weight distribution of the lignin samples as well as the number of aliphatic OH-groups within the lignin molecules decreased with intensified conditions whereas the phenolic group content increased. The cellulose content in the fibre fraction is hardly influenced by the pulping conditions, lignin and hemicellulose removal lead to a raising cellulose recovery