Occurrence of Phytophthora species in soils, and functional analysis of soil microbiomes on Biolog EcoPlates : a study on commercial soils, and forest and urban soils

Tree pathogenic Phytophthora species have been identified as a threat to health and stability of forests und urban trees. In Sweden most Phytophthora species are non-native and potentially invasive, and thus it is important to control their spread. To identify the presence of Phytophthora species in soil from symptomatic forest stands, urban trees and commercial soils, laboratory analyses using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the internal transcript spacers (ITS) pair ITS1oo/ITS4 were conducted. The results revealed that Phytophthora cambivora was present across all habitats and in commercial soils. Furthermore, P. plurivora was detected in one soil sample from an urban area. Indications of other Phytophthora species were found as well but could not be confirmed on species level. The results suggest that Phytophthora are widely present in southern Sweden and provide new evidence that commercial soil can be an important pathway spreading these pathogens. Biolog EcoPlate (Biolog, Inc., Hayward, CA, USA) is a tool recently developed for characterization of functional aspects (enzymatic capacity) in soil microbial communities and were used to study a subset of soil samples. Four soil samples from forests and one from an urban area were used. Clear patterns to categorize the soil microbial activity in different habitats were not detected, which is likely to be due to the low number of biological replicates. The test illustrates the apparent heterogeneity of soil as a substrate and underlines the importance of adequate number of replicates across habitats and the need to take care of standardized sampling and implementation of the method

Anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes derived from sydnone imines such as molsidomine. Trapping reactions with selenium, palladium, and gold

The sydnone imines Molsidomine and 5-(benzoylimino)-3-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1,2,3-oxadiazolium-2-ide gave anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes on deprotonation at C4 which were trapped as methylated selenium adducts, gold complexes (X-ray analysis) as well as palladium complexes (X-ray analysis). The C-13 NMR resonance frequencies of the carbene carbon atom are extremely shifted upfield and appear at delta = 142.1 ppm (Molsidomine carbene) and delta = 159.8 ppm (sydnone imine carbene). The Pd complexes were applied as catalysts in Suzuki-Miyaura and Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling reactions. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Functional Monitoring after Trabeculectomy or XEN Microstent Implantation Using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography and Visual Field Indices—A Retrospective Comparative Cohort Study

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of trabeculectomy (TE), single XEN microstent implantation (solo XEN) or combined XEN implantation and cataract surgery (combined XEN) in primary open-angle glaucoma cases, naïve to prior surgical treatment, using a monocentric retrospective comparative cohort study. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of IOP-lowering drugs (Meds) were monitored during the first 24 months after surgery. Further disease progression was monitored using peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness examinations using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) as well as visual acuity (VA) and visual field (VF) tests. In the TE group (52 eyes), the mean IOP decreased from 24.9 ± 5.9 to 13.9 ± 4.2 mmHg (p < 0.001) and Meds decreased from 3.2 ± 1.2 to 0.5 ± 1.1 (p < 0.001). In the solo XEN (38 eyes) and the combined XEN groups, the mean IOP decreased from 24.1 ± 4.7 to 15.7 ± 3.0 mmHg (p < 0.001) and 25.4 ± 5.6 to 14.7 ± 3.2 mmHg (p < 0.001), while Meds decreased from 3.3 ± 0.8 to 0.8 ± 1.2 (p < 0.001) and 2.7 ± 1.2 to 0.4 ± 1.0 (p < 0.001), respectively. The VF and VA indices showed no sign of further deterioration, the RNFL thickness further decreased in all treatment groups after surgery. TE and XEN led to comparable reductions in IOP and Meds. Although the VA and VF indices remained unaltered, the RNFL thickness continuously decreased in all treatment groups during the 24-month follow-up

Refractive Changes after Glaucoma Surgery-A Comparison between Trabeculectomy and XEN Microstent Implantation.

Best-corrected visual acuity often decreases temporarily or permanently after trabeculectomy (TE). The purpose of this study was to compare visual acuity and refractive changes after TE or XEN microstent implantation (XEN) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEX) cases naïve to prior glaucoma surgery over a 24-month follow-up period. We analyzed 149 consecutive glaucoma patients who received either TE or XEN because of medically uncontrollable POAG or PEX. Intraocular pressure (IOP), IOP-lowering medication use, subjective and objective refraction and best-corrected visual acuity were evaluated. In addition, surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) was calculated and compared using the vector analysis method described by Jaffe and Clayman. A total of 93 eyes (85 POAG; 8 PEX) were treated with TE and 56 eyes (50 POAG; 6 PEX) with XEN. After 24 months, the mean IOP and number of IOP-lowering medications used decreased significantly after TE (p &lt; 0.01) and XEN (p &lt; 0.01). In the TE group, mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) changed from 0.16 ± 0.26 to 0.23 ± 0.28 logMAR (p &lt; 0.01) after 24 months, while mean BCVA did not change significantly in the XEN group (preoperative: 0.40 ± 0.50 logMAR, postoperative: 0.36 ± 0.49 logMAR; p = 0.28). SIA was almost the same in both groups at the end of the 24-month follow-up period (0.75 ± 0.60 diopters after TE and 0.81 ± 0.56 diopters after XEN; p = 0.57). In addition, there was no significant correlation between SIA and the observed BCVA changes or SIA and IOP reduction 12 or 24 months after TE or XEN. Our results demonstrate that TE and XEN are effective methods for reducing IOP and IOP-lowering medication use. The SIA was nearly similar in both groups. The SIA does not seem responsible for the decreased visual acuity after TE

Two Year Functional and Structural Changes-A Comparison between Trabeculectomy and XEN Microstent Implantation Using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

The aim of this study was to analyze retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness after trabeculectomy (TE) versus XEN microstent implantation (XEN) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) cases naïve to prior incisional glaucoma surgery. We examined 119 consecutive glaucoma patients retrospectively, who received a TE or XEN for medically uncontrolled POAG. Intraocular pressure (IOP), amount of IOP-lowering medication, mean deviation of standard automated perimetry and peripapillary RNFL thickness were evaluated during the first 24 months after surgery. Fifty eyes were treated with TE and 69 eyes with XEN. Mean IOP decreased from 25.1 ± 0.8 to 13.3 ± 0.6 mm Hg (p &lt; 0.01) and mean number of IOP-lowering eye drops from 3.2 ± 0.2 to 0.4 ± 0.1 (p &lt; 0.01) 24 months after TE. In 69 eyes undergoing XEN, mean IOP dropped from 24.8 ± 0.6 to 15.0 ± 0.4 mm Hg (p &lt; 0.01) and medication from 3.0 ± 0.1 to 0.6 ± 0.1 (p &lt; 0.01) during the 24 months follow-up. Mean deviation of standard automated perimetry remained stable in TE (8.5 ± 0.7 to 8.1 ± 0.8 dB; p = 0.54) and XEN group (11,0 ± 0.5 to 11.5 ± 0.5 dB; p = 0.12) after 24 months, while mean RNFL thickness further deteriorated in the TE (-2.28 ± 0.65 µm/year) and XEN (-0.68 ± 0.34 µm/year) group. Postoperative RNFL loss develops after TE and XEN despite effective and significant lowering of IOP and amount of IOP-lowering medication. RNFL loss was more pronounced in the first year after glaucoma surgery

It’s all about gains: Risk preferences in problem gambling

Problem gambling is a serious socioeconomic problem involving high individual and social costs. In this article, we study risk preferences of problem gamblers including their risk attitudes in the gain and loss domains, their weighting of probabilities, and their degree of loss aversion. Our findings indicate that problem gamblers are systematically more risk taking and less sensitive toward changes in probabilities in the gain domain only. Neither their risk attitudes in the loss domain nor their degree of loss aversion are significantly different from the controls. Additional evidence for a similar degree of sensitivity toward negative outcomes is gained from skin conductance data—a psychophysiological marker for emotional arousal—in a threat-of-shock task

Bildung Älterer: Chancen im demographischen Wandel

Was motiviert ältere Menschen, an Bildungsangeboten teilzunehmen? Und wie lassen sich erfolgreiche Angebote speziell für diese Zielgruppe konzipieren? Dieser Band präsentiert die Ergebnisse des Forschungsprojektes "EdAge". Im Rahmen dieser vom BMBF geförderten Studie wurden zum ersten Mal das Bildungsverhalten und die Bildungsinteressen von Menschen zwischen 45 und 80 Jahren untersucht. Für diese sehr heterogene Gruppe wurde mit Hilfe von Experten- und Tiefeninterviews sowie Gruppendiskussionen eine Typologie verschiedener Lernertypen erarbeitet. Besonderes Augenmerk lag dabei auf den Erfahrungen der Teilnehmenden mit informellem Lernen. Die Datensammlung und die daraus resultierenden Schlussfolgerungen bieten Leitenden und Lehrenden in Weiterbildungseinrichtungen ein differenziertes Verständnis der Zielgruppe "Ältere". Sie ermöglichen es, auch ganz konkrete Anforderungen an die Weiterbildung Älterer hinsichtlich Marketing, Kursplanung und Gestaltung von Bildungsangeboten abzuleiten

Upregulation of Epac-1 in Hepatic Stellate Cells by Prostaglandin E-2 in Liver Fibrosis Is Associated with Reduced Fibrogenesiss

Exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac-1) is an important signaling mechanism for cAMP-mediated effects, yet factors that change Epac-1 levels are unknown. Such factors are relevant because it has been postulated that Epac-1 directly affects fibrogenesis. Prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) is a well-known cAMP activator, and we therefore studied the effects of this cyclo-oxygenase product on Epac-1 expression and on fibrogenesis within the liver. Liver fibrosis was induced by 8 weeks carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) administration to mice. In the last 2 weeks, mice received vehicle, PGE(2), the cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor niflumic acid (NFA), or PGE(2) coupled to cell-specific carriers to hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, or hepatic stellate cells (HSC). Results showed antifibrotic effects of PGE(2) and profibrotic effects of NFA in CCL4 mice. Western blot analysis revealed reduced Epac-1 protein expression in fibrotic livers of mice and humans compared with healthy livers. PGE(2) administration to fibrotic mice completely restored intrahepatic Epac-1 levels and also led to reduced Rho kinase activity, a downstream target of Epac-1. Cell-specific delivery of PGE(2) to either hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, or HSC identified the latter cell as the key player in the observed effects on Epac-1 and Rho kinase. No significant alterations in protein kinase A expressions were found. In primary isolated HSC, PGE(2) elicited Rap1 translocation reflecting Epac-1 activation, and Epac-1 agonists attenuated platelet-derived growth factor-induced proliferation and migration of these cells. These studies demonstrate that PGE(2) enhances Epac-1 activity in HSC, which is associated with significant changes in (myo)fibroblast activities in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, Epac-1 is a potential target for antifibrotic drugs.</p