Research data management in agricultural sciences in Germany: We are not yet where we want to be

To meet the future challenges and foster integrated and holistic research approaches in agricultural sciences, new and sustainable methods in research data management (RDM) are needed. The involvement of scientific users is a critical success factor for their development. We conducted an online survey in 2020 among different user groups in agricultural sciences about their RDM practices and needs. In total, the questionnaire contained 52 questions on information about produced and (re-)used data, data quality aspects, information about the use of standards, publication practices and legal aspects of agricultural research data, the current situation in RDM in regards to awareness, consulting and curricula as well as needs of the agricultural community in respect to future developments. We received 196 (partially) completed questionnaires from data providers, data users, infrastructure and information service providers. In addition to the diversity in the research data landscape of agricultural sciences in Germany, the study reveals challenges, deficits and uncertainties in handling research data in agricultural sciences standing in the way of access and efficient reuse of valuable research data. However, the study also suggests and discusses potential solutions to enhance data publications, facilitate and secure data re-use, ensure data quality and develop services (i.e. training, support and bundling services). Therefore, our research article provides the basis for the development of common RDM, future infrastructures and services needed to foster the cultural change in handling research data across agricultural sciences in Germany and beyond

CAR-Expressing Natural Killer Cells for Cancer Retargeting

Since the approval in 2017 and the outstanding success of Kymriah® and Yescarta®, the number of clinical trials investigating the safety and efficacy of chimeric antigen receptormodified autologous T cells has been constantly rising. Currently, more than 200 clinical trials are listed on clinicaltrial. gov. In contrast to CAR-T cells, natural killer (NK) cells can be used from allogeneic donors as an “off the shelf product” and provide alternative candidates for cancer retargeting. This review summarises preclinical results of CAR-engineered NK cells using both primary human NK cells and the cell line NK-92, and provides an overview about the first clinical CAR-NK cell studies targeting haematological malignancies and solid tumours, respectivel

Increased APOBEC3G and APOBEC3F expression is associated with low viral load and prolonged survival in simian immunodeficiency virus infected rhesus monkeys

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The cytidine deaminases APOBEC3G (A3G) and APOBEC3F (A3F) are innate cellular factors that inhibit replication of a number of viruses, including HIV-1. Since antiviral activity of APOBEC3 has been mainly confirmed by <it>in vitro </it>data, we examined their role for disease progression in the SIV/macaque model for AIDS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We quantified A3G and A3F mRNA in PBMC and leukocyte subsets of uninfected and SIVmac-infected rhesus macaques. Compared with uninfected animals, we found increased A3G and A3F mRNA levels in PBMC, purified CD4+ T-cells and CD14+ monocytes as well as lymph node cells from asymptomatic SIV-infected macaques. APOBEC3 mRNA levels correlated negatively with plasma viral load, and highest amounts of APOBEC3 mRNA were detected in long term non-progressors (LTNPs). During acute viremia, A3G mRNA increased in parallel with MxA, a prototype interferon-stimulated gene indicating a common regulation by the initial interferon response. This association disappeared during the asymptomatic stage.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings suggest a protective effect of APOBEC3 for HIV and SIV <it>in vivo </it>and indicate regulation of APOBEC3 by interferon during early infection and by contribution of other, hitherto undefined factors at later disease stages. Elucidating the regulatory mechanisms leading to increased APOBEC3 mRNA levels in LTNPs could help to develop new therapies against HIV.</p

Face Perception and Narcissism: Variations of Event-Related Potential Components (P1 & N170) with Admiration and Rivalry

Previous studies have demonstrated that highly narcissistic individuals perceive themselves as grandiose and devaluate and sometimes overvalue others. These results are mainly based on behavioural data, but we still know little about the neural correlates underlying, such as perceptional processes. To this end, we investigated event-related potential components (ERP) of visual face processing (P1 and N170) and their variations with narcissism. Participants (N = 59) completed the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire and were shown pictures of their own face, a celebrity's face, and a stranger's face. Variations of P1 and N170 with Admiration and Rivalry were analysed using multilevel models. Results revealed moderating effects of both narcissism dimensions on the ERP components of interest. Participants with eitherhighAdmiration orlowRivalry scores showed a lower P1 amplitude when viewing their own face compared with when viewing a celebrity's face. Moreover, the Self-Stranger difference in the N170 component (higher N170 amplitude in the Self condition) was larger for higher Rivalry scores. The findings showed, for the first time, variations of both narcissism dimensions with ERPs of early face processing. We related these effects to processes of attentional selection, an expectancy-driven perception, and the mobilisation of defensive systems. The results demonstrated that by linking self-report instruments to P1 and N170, and possibly to other ERP components, we might better understand self- and other-perception in narcissism

Data Steward Service Center (DSSC): FAIRagro RDM-Expertise Hub

The Data Steward Service Center (DSSC) is the central institution within FAIRagro to develop data management tools based on the needs of the scientific community. The DSSC organizes the continuous exchange of RDM knowledge and experience with other institutions, channels user requests from the community, and transfers knowledge from the FAIRagro task areas to the FAIRagro data stewards. FAIRagro data stewards are experts in the field of RDM for agrosystems research supervising and will train data curators in our community. Data stewards have core competencies in research data management (e.g., cross-scale from genes, phenomics, management to region; sensitive data, remote sensing, time series, plant, soil and related FAIRagro data). Knowledge and expertise is pooled to provide the full range of expertise to the community in one place to foster the coalescence of the community. The DSSC is headed by a coordinator and will house five data stewards, who are active in the community e.g. train data curators, give legal support. In the course of the project, further institutional or project data stewards will be integrated and the pool of experts will be further expanded. The network to the other NFDI consortia is continuously growing

Functional resilience against climate-driven extinctions: comparing the functional diversity of European and North Americantree floras

Future global change scenarios predict a dramatic loss of biodiversity for many regions in the world, potentially reducing the resistance and resilience of ecosystem functions. Once before, during Plio-Pleistocene glaciations, harsher climatic conditions in Europe as compared to North America led to a more depauperate tree flora. Here we hypothesize that this climate driven species loss has also reduced functional diversity in Europe as compared to North America. We used variation in 26 traits for 154 North American and 66 European tree species and grid-based co-occurrences derived from distribution maps to compare functional diversity patterns of the two continents. First, we identified similar regions with respect to contemporary climate in the temperate zone of North America and Europe. Second, we compared the functional diversity of both continents and for the climatically similar subregions using the functional dispersion-index (FDis) and the functional richness index (FRic). Third, we accounted in these comparisons for grid-scale differences in species richness, and, fourth, investigated the associated trait spaces using dimensionality reduction. For gymnosperms we find similar functional diversity on both continents, whereas for angiosperms functional diversity is significantly greater in Europe than in North America. These results are consistent across different scales, for climatically similar regions and considering species richness patterns. We decomposed these differences in trait space occupation into differences in functional diversity vs. differences in functional identity. We show that climate-driven species loss on a continental scale might be decoupled from or at least not linearly related to changes in functional diversity. This might be important when analyzing the effects of climate-driven biodiversity change on ecosystem functioning

Caracterização do Português Falado em Cabo Verde

O presente trabalho é elaborado no âmbito da realização do Trabalho de Fim do Curso de Estudos cabo-verdianos e portugueses, com o intuito de obtenção do grau de licenciado. Debruçar-se-á sobre o tema “Caracterização do português falado em Cabo Verde”. Sendo a língua portuguesa a Língua Segunda (L2) e a língua de comunicação no processo de ensino-aprendizagem em Cabo Verde, uma abordagem pormenorizadamente descritiva deste tema permite comparar o português falado no arquipélago com o português europeu (PE). Esta análise mostrará o grau de interferência da Língua Materna (LM) na pronúncia da Língua Segunda (L2) e quais as principais dificuldades com que os falantes se deparam no uso quotidiano do português. Nesta mesma linha, debruçar-nos-emos sobre os tipos de interferências registados no português falado em Cabo Verde, verificando-se de que forma as semelhanças entre as duas línguas poderão constituir-se como factores que desencadeiam as referidas interferências