Präventive Anbauplanung im Umgang mit der Schädlingsgilde in Ackerbohnen und Erbsen zur Schadensvermeidung und Ertragssicherung (WP1)

Für den Ackerbohnen- und Erbsenanabau wurden das räumlich-, zeitliche Befallsgeschehen vierer Zielschädlinge analysiert, um risikobehaftete Anbaukonstellationen zu identifizieren. Das Projekt war Teil des zeitgleich bestehenden BÖLN-Projektverbundes CYDNIGPRO mit den Projektpartnern Uni-Kassel-FÖP, Gäa e. V., ZEPP, und LLG Sachsen-Anhalt. Die Befallserhebungen fanden in drei Modellregionen von etwa 30 km Durchmesser in Hessen, Sachsen und Sachsen-Anhalt statt und umfassten Buchtenfraß an Ackerbohne & Erbse (Blattrandkäfer), Pheromonfallenfänge und Knospenschaden an Erbse (Erbsengallmücke) und Pflückproben von Ackerbohnen (Ackerbohnenkäfer) und Erbsen (Erbsenkäfer). Mit den georeferenzierten Flächeninformationen zur Lage, Geometrie, ihrer jeweiligen Entfernungen zueinander, Saatzeit/Feldaufgang und Wetterdaten wurden zwei räumliche Auswertungsmethoden als a) Entfernung zur nächstgelegenen Vorjahresfläche und b) prozentualer Vorjahres Flächenanteil innerhalb gestufter Radien um die aktuellen Flächen gerechnet. Im Projektverlauf stieg das Befallsniveau von Ackerbohnen- und Blattrandkäfer in allen Regionen an. Auch der Erbsenkäferbefall nahm sowohl in Sachsen, als auch in Hessen zu, während die Erbsengallmücke in Sachsen-Anhalt nur sehr niedrigen Befall aufwies. Beim Blattrandkäfer führten weite Flächenabstände zu tendenziell sinkendem Befall. Trotz witterungsbedingt sehr unterschiedlichen Aussaatzeitfenstern nach Jahr und Region, überwogen bei Spätsaaten signifikant geringere Buchtenfraßwerte. Beim Ackerbohnenkäfer wirkten sich weder Flächenabstand noch Saatzeit befallsmindernd aus, sodass diese keine nutzbare Option zur Befallsprävention darstellen. Für Hessen konnte belegt werden, dass Käferlebendbesatz im Saatgut eine bisher unterschätzte Befallsquelle darstellt. Der ebenfalls präventive Ansatz, waldumschlossene „Gesundlagen“ mit Vorjahresanbaupause zu nutzen, wurde mit moderatem Ergebnis bestätigt. Die vorgestellte Ergebnislage ist zunächst regions-spezifisch und ist im Kontext der regionalen Anbaumuster und der stark unterschiedlichen Pflanzenschutzregime zu betrachten. Prinzipiell und als Fernziel, scheinen Befallsprognosen insbesondere für Blattrandkäfererstbefall möglich. Die vorliegenden Daten belegen, dass Flächenabstände und Saattermine präventiv nutzbare Stellgrößen gegen Starkbefall darstellen können und bilden eine wertvolle Referenz für Beratung und Praxis

18F-FDG Pet Parameters and Radiomics Features Analysis in Advanced Nsclc Treated with Immunotherapy as Predictors of Therapy Response and Survival

Objectives: (1.1) to evaluate the association between baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT semi-quantitative parameters of the primary lesion with progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and response to immunotherapy, in advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients eligible for immunotherapy; (1.2) to evaluate the application of radiomics analysis of the primary lesion to identify features predictive of response to immunotherapy; (1.3) to evaluate if tumor burden assessed by 18F-FDG PET/CT (N and M factors) is associated with PFS and OS. Materials and Methods: we retrospectively analyzed clinical records of advanced NCSLC patients (stage IIIb/c or stage IV) candidate to immunotherapy who performed 18F-FDG PET/CT before treatment to stage the disease. Fifty-seven (57) patients were included in the analysis (F:M 17:40; median age = 69 years old). Notably, 38/57 of patients had adenocarcinoma (AC), 10/57 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 9/57 were not otherwise specified (NOS). Overall, 47.4% patients were stage IVA, 42.1% IVB and 8.8% IIIB. Immunotherapy was performed as front-line therapy in 42/57 patients and as second line therapy after chemotherapy platinum-based in 15/57. The median follow up after starting immunotherapy was 10 months (range: 1.5–68.6). Therapy response was assessed by RECIST 1.1 criteria (CT evaluation every 4 cycles of therapy) in 48/57 patients or when not feasible by clinical and laboratory data (fast disease progression or worsening of patient clinical condition in nine patients). Radiomics analysis was performed by applying regions of interest (ROIs) of the primary tumor delineated manually by two operators and semi-automatically applying a threshold at 40% of SUVmax. Results: (1.1) metabolic tumor volume (MTV) (p = 0.028) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) (p = 0.035) were significantly associated with progressive vs. non-progressive disease status. Patients with higher values of MTV and TLG had higher probability of disease progression, compared to those patients presenting with lower values. SUVmax did not show correlation with PD status, PFS and OS. MTV (p = 0.027) and TLG (p = 0.022) also resulted in being significantly different among PR, SD and PD groups, while SUVmax was confirmed to not be associated with response to therapy (p = 0.427). (1.2) We observed the association of several radiomics features with PD status. Namely, patients with high tumor volume, TLG and heterogeneity expressed by “skewness” and “kurtosis” had a higher probability of failing immunotherapy. (1.3) M status at 18F-FDG PET/CT was significantly associated with PFS (p = 0.002) and OS (p = 0.049). No significant associations were observed for N status. Conclusions: 18F-FDG PET/CT performed before the start of immunotherapy might be an important prognostic tool able to predict the disease progression and response to immunotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC, since MTV, TLG and radiomics features (volume and heterogeneity) are associated with disease progression

Performance of the First ANTARES Detector Line

In this paper we report on the data recorded with the first Antares detector line. The line was deployed on the 14th of February 2006 and was connected to the readout two weeks later. Environmental data for one and a half years of running are shown. Measurements of atmospheric muons from data taken from selected runs during the first six months of operation are presented. Performance figures in terms of time residuals and angular resolution are given. Finally the angular distribution of atmospheric muons is presented and from this the depth profile of the muon intensity is derived.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

Time calibration of the ANTARES neutrino telescope

The ANTARES deep-sea neutrino telescope comprises a three-dimensional array of photomultipliers to detect the Cherenkov light induced by upgoing relativistic charged particles originating from neutrino interactions in the vicinity of the detector. The large scattering length of light in the deep sea facilitates an angular resolution of a few tenths of a degree for neutrino energies exceeding 10 TeV. In order to achieve this optimal performance, the time calibration procedures should ensure a relative time calibration between the photomultipliers at the level of similar to 1 ns. The methods developed to attain this level of precision are described

Performance of the front-end electronics of the ANTARES neutrino telescope

ANTARES is a high-energy neutrino telescope installed in the Mediterranean Sea at a depth of 2475 m. It consists of a three-dimensional array of optical modules, each containing a large photomultiplier tube. A total of 2700 front-end ASICs named Analogue Ring Samplers (ARS) process the phototube signals, measure their arrival time, amplitude and shape as well as perform monitoring and calibration tasks. The ARS chip processes the analogue signals from the optical modules and converts information into digital data. All the information is transmitted to shore through further multiplexing electronics and an optical link. This paper describes the performance of the ARS chip; results from the functionality and characterization tests in the laboratory are summarized and the long-term performance in the apparatus is illustrated.Comment: 20 pages, 22 figures, published in Nuclear Instruments and Methods

Can PSMA-Targeting Radiopharmaceuticals Be Useful for Detecting Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Positron Emission Tomography? An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Several studies proposed the use of positron emission tomography (PET) with Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-targeting radiopharmaceuticals in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our aim is to calculate the detection rate (DR) of this examination in HCC with a meta-analysis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of studies on the DR of PET/CT or PET/MRI with PSMA-targeting radiopharmaceuticals in HCC was performed. Original articles evaluating these imaging examinations both in newly diagnosed HCC patients and HCC patients with disease relapse were included. Pooled DR including 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) was calculated. Statistical heterogeneity was also assessed using the I2 test. Results: The meta-analysis of six selected studies (126 patients) provided a DR of 85.9% for PET imaging with PSMA-targeting radiopharmaceuticals in the diagnosis of HCC. Moderate statistical heterogeneity among the included studies was found (I2 = 56%). Conclusions: The quantitative data provided demonstrate the high DR of PET/CT or PET/MRI with PSMA-targeting radiopharmaceuticals for HCC lesion detection. However, more studies are needed to confirm the promising role of PSMA-targeted PET in HCC