Time-varying neutrino mass from a supercooled phase transition: current cosmological constraints and impact on the Ωm\Omega_m-σ8\sigma_8 plane

In this paper we investigate a time-varying neutrino mass model, motivated by the mild tension between cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements of the matter fluctuations and those obtained from low-redshift data. We modify the minimal case of the model proposed by Dvali and Funcke (2016) that predicts late neutrino mass generation in a post-recombination cosmic phase transition, by assuming that neutrino asymmetries allow for the presence of relic neutrinos in the late-time Universe. We show that, if the transition is supercooled, current cosmological data (including CMB temperature, polarization and lensing, baryon acoustic oscillations, and Type Ia supernovae) prefer the scale factor $a_s$ of the phase transition to be very large, peaking at $a_s\sim 1$, and therefore supporting a cosmological scenario in which neutrinos are almost massless until very recent times. We find that in this scenario the cosmological bound on the total sum of the neutrino masses today is significantly weakened compared to the standard case of constant-mass neutrinos, with $\sum m_\nu<4.8$~eV at 95\% confidence, and in agreement with the model predictions. The main reason for this weaker bound is a large correlation arising between the dark energy and neutrino components in the presence of false vacuum energy that converts into the non-zero neutrino masses after the transition. This result provides new targets for the coming KATRIN and PTOLEMY experiments. We also show that the time-varying neutrino mass model considered here does not provide a clear explanation to the existing cosmological $\Omega_m$-$\sigma_8$ discrepancies.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures, matches updated version accepted by Physical Review

Erdbeerblütenstecher (Anthonomus rubi Herbst): Netzabdeckung als Kontrollmöglichkeit in einjährigen Erdbeer-beständen in der späten Sorte Malwina

The strawberry blossom weevil is one of the key pests in organic strawberry production, since Anthonomus rubi is able to reduce the yield up to 60 % in dependence of the cultivar and the temperature development over springtime. The damage is caused by the weevil female by cutting the flower stem after laying one egg into the flower bud. As a control possibility for strawberry fields in their first year after planting, net covering has been tested to prevent the weevil from entering since A. rubi usually hibernates in nearby forest areas. Five net types with different mesh sizes and weights were tested and an uncovered control in the late blooming cultivar Malwina. In regard to the criteria “destroyed flower buds” all five net variants showed significant lower rates than the control. In regard to the criteria “yield class-1-fruits” none of the net variants showed significantly higher yield amounts than the control. Furthermore the net type “Rantai K” showed significantly less class-1-fruits compared to the control and the other net types. In regard to the criteria “yield class-2-fruits” all five net types, except the net type “FaBio 03”, showed significantly higher yield amounts than the control. But class-2-fruits are much more labour intensive and the market price is much lower compared to the class-1-fruits. These results showed that covering with net can not be recommended to the grower at this point

Stärkung der Ertragssicherheit und Rentabilität im biologischen Erdbeeranbau durch effektivere Unkrautkontrolle sowie Regulierung des Erdbeerblütenstechers und verschiedener Wurzelfäulen

Erdbeerblütenstecher: Das Ziel war, Regulierungsstrategien für 1- und 2-jährige Bestände zu entwickeln und die Biologie des Rüsslers zu untersuchen. Hierzu wurden Freiland-Versuche in der Sorte Malwina durchgeführt. In den 1-jähigen Versuchen zeigten bestimmte Netz- und Vliesvarianten signifikant weniger abgebissene Blütenknospen als die Kontrolle. Jedoch zeigten diese effektiven Abdeckvarianten, im Vergleich zur Kontrolle, keine signifikanten Ertragsteigerungen zu den Klasse 1 Früchten, wohl aber zu den Klasse 2 Früchten, was auf den erhöhten klimatischen Stress zurückgeführt wurde. Regulierungsempfehlungen für den 2-jährigen Bestand wurden nicht entwickelt. Verticillium-Welke: Durch Freilandversuche sollten Regulierungsstrategien entwickelt werden, die eine Reduzierung des bodenbürtigen Pilzes V. dahliae bewirken sollten. Dabei wurde untersucht, welchen Einfluss die Kombination aus der Vorkultur Brauner Senf zusammen mit verschiedenen Antagonisten- bzw. Pflanzenstärkungsmitteln auf die Vitalitätsentwicklung, auf den Ertrag und die Symptomausprägung hatte. Der braune Senf zeigte auf einem leichten Standort ertragssteigernde Effekte, wobei der Aufwand als sehr hoch eingestuft wurde. Die Frigo-Pflanzen zeigten zu der Variante Kompost Absterberaten bis zu 30% was auf den hohen Salzgehalt zurück geführt wurde. Beikrautregulierung: Das Ziel war, Einsparpotentiale zu der Beikrautregulierung darzustellen. Dies sollte durch den betriebswirtschaftlichen Vergleich von drei Anbauvarianten (Damm & PE-Folie, Damm & biologisch abbaubare Folie, offener Anbau) untersucht werden. Während die biologisch abbaubare Folie die höchsten Erträge zeigte, zeigte sie aber auch, wie auch die PE-Folien Variante, die höchsten Kosten zu der Beikrautmaßnahme Handhacke, zu verschiedenen Kulturarbeiten und insgesamt auch die höchste Saison-Arbeitskraftbindung. Der offene Anbau zeigte unter Versuchsbedingungen, ohne Spezialtechnik, die höchsten Deckungsbeiträge und die geringste Arbeitskraftbindung

The immunomodulatory effect of inhaled granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in cystic fibrosis. A new treatment paradigm

Lars Heslet1, Christiane Bay2, Steen Nepper-Christensen31Serendex ApS, Gentofte, Denmark; 2University of Copenhagen, Medical Faculty, Copenhagen, Denmark; 3Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, K&amp;oslash;ge Hospital, DenmarkBackground: Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) experience recurrent infections and develop chronically infected lungs, which initiates an altered immunological alveolar environment. End-stage pulmonary dysfunction is a result of a long sequence of complex events in CF, progressing to alveolar macrophage dysfunction via a T-helper 2 (TH2) dominated alveolar inflammation with CD20 T-cell activation, induced by the chronic infection and showing a poor prognosis. There is great potential for treatment in transforming the TH2 into the more favorable T-helper 1 (TH1) response.Methods: Current literature in the PubMed database and other sources was reviewed in order to evaluate aspects of the innate alveolar host defense mechanisms and the potential impact on the immunoinflammatory response of inhalation of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in patients with CF.Results: It seems that the cellular host defense, (ie, the alveolar macrophage and neutrocyte function) and the inhaled GM-CSF interact in such a way that the so-called tolerant alveolar environment dominated by the TH2 response may be transformed into an active TH1 state with a normal pulmonary host defense. The shift of the TH2 to the TH1 subset dominated by specific and unspecific antibodies may be achieved after the inhalation of GM-CSF. A clinical report has shown promising results with inhalation of GM-CSF in a chronically-infected CF patient treated with several antibacterial and antifungal agents. Inhaled GM-CSF transformed the tolerance toward the Gram-negative infection reflected by the so-called TH2 subset into the more acute TH1 response characterized by recruitment of the T-cells CD8 and CD16, a condition related to better-preserved lung function. This indicated a transformation from a state of passive bacterial tolerance toward the Gram-negative infecting and colonizing bacteria. This GM-CSF effect cannot be achieved by administering the drug via the IV route because the drug is water-soluble and too large to penetrate the alveolocapillary membrane.Conclusions: Inhalation of GM-CSF seems to be a novel way to positively modulate the alveolar environment toward an altered immunological state, reflected by a positive change in the pattern of surrogate markers, related to better preservation of pulmonary function and thus improved outcomes in CF patients. It is suggested that future studies examining standard endpoint variables such as number of infections and amount of antibiotics used should be supplemented by surrogate markers, to reveal any positive cellular and cytokine responses reflecting changes in the alveolar compartment after GM-CSF inhalation. The immunological alveolar environment should be monitored by a specific pattern of surrogate markers. Continued research is clearly indicated and the role of inhaled GM-CSF in modulating pulmonary host defense in CF patients should be investigated in a large study.Keywords: cystic fibrosis, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, TH1 response, TH2 subset, surrogate marker

Stärkung der Ertragssicherheit und Rentabilität im biologischen Erdbeeranbau durch effektivere Unkrautkontrolle sowie Regulierung des Erdbeerblütenstechers und verschiedener Wurzelfäulen

Der ökologische Erdbeeranbau ist mit hohen Ertragsschwankungen und den daraus resultierenden Ertragsunsicherheiten konfrontiert, wodurch die Rentabilität dieses Betriebszweiges immer wieder in Frage gestellt wird. Die nach wie vor bestehende Unkrautproblematik, der Erdbeerblütenstecher (Anthonomus rubi) und verschiedene Wurzelfäulen wie die Vertcillium-Welke stellen mit die wichtigsten Ursachen für die Ertragsunsicherheit dar. Zur Unkrautkontrolle konnten durch den Fingerhackeeinsatz deutliche Arbeitszeiteinsparungen zur Handhacke dokumentiert werden, so dass auch für Flächen ab bereits 0,5 ha eine kostengünstige und höchst effektive Technik zur Verfügung steht. Die sensorgesteuerte Hacktechnik arbeitet ebenfalls höchst effektiv, zielt jedoch mehr auf größere Spezialbetriebe ab. Zum Erdbeerblütenstecher in einjährigen Beständen in der Sorte Malwina konnte der Befall durch verschiedene Netzauflagen signifikant gesenkt werden, jedoch blieb der ertragssteigernde Effekt der Klasse 1-Früchte aus. Stattdessen stiegen die Anteile der Klasse 2-Früchten überwiegend signifikant an, was sich durch den erhöhten Klimastress, die erschwerte Bestäubungssituation und mögliche mechanische Beschädigungen der Blüte zur Netzauflage erklären lässt. In zweijährigen Beständen konnte mit dem entomopathogenen Pilz Metarhizium anisopliae Isolat Ma43 keine signifikante Befallsreduktion erreicht werden, jedoch konnte in einem Vorversuch eine signifikante Ertragssteigerung dokumentiert werden. Zur Verticillium-Welke wurden auf einem stark belasteten und leichten Standort Antagonisten und Bodenhilfsstoffe in der Sorte Sonata untersucht. Promot WP und die zwei Bodenhilfsstoffe VermiGrand und Eifelgold führten zu keiner praxisrelevanten Ertragssteigerung, während RhizoVital 42, RhizoStar und Plantasalva geringere Erträge aufwiesen als die Kontrolle. Auf einem stark verticilliumbelasteten Standort wurden elf Erdbeersorten auf ihre Robustheit untersucht. Positive Entwicklungen im Vergleich zur verticilliumempfindlichen Honeoye zeigten die Sorten Ultyma, Dely, Christine und Elianny. Unter dem Niveau von Honeoye lagen die Sorten Fenella und Candiss

Translocation detection in lymphoma diagnosis by split-signal FISH: a standardised approach

Lymphomas originating from the lymphatic system comprise about 30 entities classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The histopathological diagnosis is generally considered difficult and prone to mistakes. Since non-random chromosomal translocations are specifically involved in different lymphoma entities, their detection will be increasingly important. Hence, a split-signal fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) procedure would be helpful in discriminating the most difficult classifications. The Euro-FISH programme, a concerted action of nine European laboratories, has validated a robust, standardised protocol to improve the diagnostic approach on lymphoma entities. Therefore, 16 fluorescent probes and 10 WHO entities, supplemented with reactive cases, were selected. The results of the Euro-FISH programme show that all probes were correctly cytogenetically located, that the standardised protocol is robust, resulting in reliable results in approximately 90% of cases, and that the procedure could be implemented in every laboratory, bringing the relatively easy interpretation of split-signal probes within the reach of many pathology laboratories

Benefit and risk assessment of breastmilk for infant health in Norway: Opinion of the Steering Committee of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety

Source at https://vkm.no/english/riskassessments/allpublications/benefitandriskassessmentofbreastmilkforinfanthealthinnorway.4.27ef9ca915e07938c3b2a6df.html.Breastmilk covers all the nutritional needs of the infant the first months of life, with the exception of vitamin D. In addition, breastmilk has a number of protective properties. However, as humans are exposed to polluting chemicals through food, air, water and skin contact, breastmilk also contains contaminants. Taking the present-day levels of contaminants in Norwegian breastmilk and the long duration of breastfeeding (12 months) in Norway into account, the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety concludes that contaminants poses a low risk to Norwegian infants, and that the benefits of breastmilk to Norwegian infants clearly outweigh the risk presented by contaminants

Genetic architecture of subcortical brain structures in 38,851 individuals

Subcortical brain structures are integral to motion, consciousness, emotions and learning. We identified common genetic variation related to the volumes of the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, brainstem, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen and thalamus, using genome-wide association analyses in almost 40,000 individuals from CHARGE, ENIGMA and UK Biobank. We show that variability in subcortical volumes is heritable, and identify 48 significantly associated loci (40 novel at the time of analysis). Annotation of these loci by utilizing gene expression, methylation and neuropathological data identified 199 genes putatively implicated in neurodevelopment, synaptic signaling, axonal transport, apoptosis, inflammation/infection and susceptibility to neurological disorders. This set of genes is significantly enriched for Drosophila orthologs associated with neurodevelopmental phenotypes, suggesting evolutionarily conserved mechanisms. Our findings uncover novel biology and potential drug targets underlying brain development and disease