Which carabid species benefit from organic agriculture? - a review of comparative studies in winter cereals from Germany and Switzerland

Data of comparative studies about carabid beetles in organically and conventionally managed winter cereal fields of central Europe, using the pitfall trapping method, were collected from the literature and unpublished data sources and were then pooled and analysed. According to an index, which was designed to calculate how much a species benefits from organic management, Carabus auratus turned out to benefit most. Some Amara species (A. familiaris, A. similata and A. aenea) as well as Pseudoophonus rufipes and Harpalus affinis also showed high index values. When analysing the traits of the carabids, the habitat preference was the most important variable for the differentiation of organic and conventional management. The stronger the preference for open field, the more the species are supported by organic agriculture. For the promotion of the agricultural carabid fauna it is suggested that weedier and less densely cropped fields be tolerated

Inflammatory Mediators in Atherosclerotic Vascular Remodeling.

Atherosclerotic vascular disease remains the most common cause of ischemia, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Vascular function is determined by structural and functional properties of the arterial vessel wall, which consists of three layers, namely the adventitia, media, and intima. Key cells in shaping the vascular wall architecture and warranting proper vessel function are vascular smooth muscle cells in the arterial media and endothelial cells lining the intima. Pathological alterations of this vessel wall architecture called vascular remodeling can lead to insufficient vascular function and subsequent ischemia and organ damage. One major pathomechanism driving this detrimental vascular remodeling is atherosclerosis, which is initiated by endothelial dysfunction allowing the accumulation of intimal lipids and leukocytes. Inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, and modified lipids further drive vascular remodeling ultimately leading to thrombus formation and/or vessel occlusion which can cause major cardiovascular events. Although it is clear that vascular wall remodeling is an elementary mechanism of atherosclerotic vascular disease, the diverse underlying pathomechanisms and its consequences are still insufficiently understood

Berechnung von gas- und partikelförmigen Emissionen aus der deutschen Landwirtschaft 1990-2014: Report zu Methoden und Daten (RMD) Berichterstattung 2016

The report at hand (including a comprehensive annex of data) serves as additional document to the National Inventory Report (NIR) on the German green house gas emissions and the Informative Inventory Report (IIR) on the German emissions of air pollutants (especially ammonia). The report documents the calculation methods used in the German agricultural inventory model GAS-EM as well as input data, emission results and uncertainties of the emission reporting submission 2016 for the years 1990 - 2014. In this context the sector Agriculture comprises the emissions from animal husbandry, the use of agricultural soils and anaerobic digestion of energy crops. As required by the guidelines, emissions from activities preceding agriculture, from the use of energy and from land use change are reported elsewhere in the national inventories. The calculation methods are based in principle on international guidelines for emission reporting and have been continuingly improved during the past years. In particular, these improvements concern the calculation of energy requirements, feeding and the N balance of the most important animal categories. In addition, technical measures such as air scrubbing (mitigation of ammonia emissions) and digestion of animal manures mitigation of emissions of methane and loughing gas) have been taken into account [...].Der vorliegende Berichtsband einschließlich des umfangreichen Datenanhangs dient als Begleitdokument zum National Inventory Report (NIR) über die deutschen Treibhausgas-Emissionen und zum Informative Inventory Report (IIR), über die deutschen Schadstoffemissionen (insbesondere Ammoniak). Er dokumentiert die im deutschen landwirtschaftlichem Inventarmodell GASEM integrierten Berechnungsverfahren sowie die Eingangsdaten, Emissionsergebnisse und Unsicherheiten der Berichterstattung 2016 für die Jahre 1990 bis 2014. Der Bereich Landwirtschaft umfasst dabei die Emissionen aus der Tierhaltung und der Nutzung landwirtschaftlicher Böden sowie aus der Vergärung von Energiepflanzen. Emissionen aus dem Vorleistungsbereich, aus der Nutzung von Energie sowie Landnutzungsänderungen werden den Regelwerken entsprechend an anderer Stelle in den nationalen Inventaren berichtet. Die Berechnungsverfahren beruhen in erster Linie auf internationalen Regelwerken zur Emissionsberichterstattung und wurden in den vergangenen Jahren beständig weiterentwickelt. Letzteres betrifft im Wesentlichen die Berechnung des Energiebedarfs, der Fütterung und der tierischen N-Bilanz bei den wichtigen Tierkategorien. Zusätzlich wurden technische Maßnahmen wie Abluftreinigung (Minderung von Ammoniakemissionen) und die Vergärung von Wirtschaftsdünger (Minderung von Methan- und Lachgasemissionen) berücksichtigt [...]

Berechnung von gas- und partikelförmigen Emissionen aus der deutschen Landwirtschaft 1990-2015: Report zu Methoden und Daten (RMD) Berichterstattung 2017

The report at hand (including a comprehensive annex of data) serves as additional document to the National Inventory Report (NIR) on the German green house gas emissions and the Informative Inventory Report (IIR) on the German emissions of air pollutants (especially ammonia). The report documents the calculation methods used in the German agricultural inventory model GAS-EM as well as input data, emission results and uncertainties of the emission reporting submission 2017 for the years 1990 - 2015. In this context the sector Agriculture comprises the emissions from animal husbandry, the use of agricultural soils and anaerobic digestion of energy crops. As required by the guidelines, emissions from activities preceding agriculture, from the use of energy and from land use change are reported elsewhere in the national inventories. The calculation methods are based in principle on the international guidelines for emission reporting and have been continuingly improved during the past years by the Thünen Institute working group on agricultural emission inventories, partly in cooperation with KTBL. In particular, these improvements concern the calculation of energy requirements, feeding and the N balance of the most important animal categories. In addition, technical measures such as air scrubbing (mitigation of ammonia emissions) and digestion of animal manures (mitigation of emissions of methane and loughing gas) have been taken into account. For the calculation of emissions from anaerobic digestion of animal manures and energy crops (including spreading of the digestate), the aforementioned working group developed, in cooperation with KTBL, a national methodology. [...]Der vorliegende Berichtsband einschließlich des umfangreichen Datenanhangs dient als Begleitdokument zum National Inventory Report (NIR) über die deutschen Treibhausgas-Emissionen sowie zum Informative Inventory Report (IIR) über die deutschen Schadstoffemissionen (insbesondere Ammoniak). Er dokumentiert die im deutschen landwirtschaftlichem Inventarmodell GAS-EM integrierten Berechnungsverfahren sowie die Eingangsdaten, Emissionsergebnisse und Unsicherheiten der Berichterstattung 2017 für die Jahre 1990 bis 2015. Der Bereich Landwirtschaft umfasst dabei die Emissionen aus der Tierhaltung und der Nutzung landwirtschaftlicher Böden sowie aus der Vergärung von Energiepflanzen. Emissionen aus dem Vorleistungsbereich, aus der Nutzung von Energie sowie Landnutzungsänderungen werden den Regelwerken entsprechend an anderer Stelle in den nationalen Inventaren berichtet.Die Berechnungsverfahren beruhen in erster Linie auf den internationalen Regelwerken zur Emissionsberichterstattung und wurden durch die Arbeitsgruppe 'Landwirtschaftliche Emissionsinventare' des Thünen-Instituts in den vergangenen Jahren beständig weiterentwickelt (teilweise in Zusammenarbeit mit dem KTBL). Dies betrifft im Wesentlichen die Berechnung des Energiebedarfs, der Fütterung und der tierischen N-Bilanz bei den wichtigen Tierkategorien. Zusätzlich wurden technische Maßnahmen wie Abluftreinigung (Minderung von Ammoniakemissionen) und die Vergärung von Wirtschaftsdünger (Minderung von Methan- und Lachgasemissionen) berücksichtigt. Für die Berechnung von Emissionen aus der Vergärung von Wirtschaftsdünger und Energiepflanzen (einschließlich Gärrestausbringung) entwickelte die vorgenannte Arbeitsgruppe in Zusam-menarbeit mit dem KTBL eine deutsche Methodik. [...

Clinical phenotype of adolescent and adult patients with extracranial vascular malformation.

BACKGROUND In recent years, genotypic characterization of congenital vascular malformations (CVM) has gained attention; however, the spectrum of clinical phenotype remains difficult to attribute to a genetic cause and is rarely described in the adult population. AIM The aim of this study is to describe a consecutive series of adolescent and adult patients in a tertiary center, where a multimodal phenotypic approach was used for diagnosis. METHODS We analyzed clinical findings, imaging, and laboratory results at initial presentation, and set a diagnosis according to the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) classification for all consecutively registered patients older than 14 years of age who were referred to the Center for Vascular Malformations at the University Hospital of Bern between 2008 and 2021. RESULTS 457 patients were included for analysis (mean age 35 years; females 56%). Simple CVMs were the most common (n=361, 79 %), followed by CVM associated with other anomalies (n=70, 15%), and combined CVM (n=26, 6%). Venous malformations (n=238) were the most common CVM overall (52%), and the most common simple CVM (66%). Pain was the most frequently reported symptom in all patients (simple, combined and vascular malformation with other anomalies). Pain intensity was more pronounced in simple venous and arteriovenous malformation. Clinical problems were related to the type of CVM diagnosed, with bleeding and skin ulceration in arteriovenous malformations, localized intravascular coagulopathy in venous malformations and infectious complications in lymphatic malformations. Limb length difference occurred more often in patients with CVM associated with other anomalies as compared to simple or combined CVM (22.9 vs 2.3%, p< 0.001). Soft tissue overgrowth was seen in one quarter of all patients independent of the ISSVA group. CONCLUSIONS In our adult and adolescent population with peripheral vascular malformations, simple venous malformations predominated, with pain as the most common clinical symptom. In a quarter of cases, patients with vascular malformations presented with associated anomalies on tissue growth. The differentiation of clinical presentation with or without accompanying growth abnormalities need to be added to the ISSVA classification. Phenotypic characterization considering vascular and non-vascular features remains the cornerstone of diagnosis in adult-as well as pediatric patients

A systematic review of the safety and efficacy of currently used treatment modalities in the treatment of patients with PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum.

BACKGROUND PIK3CA-related overgrowth syndromes (PROS) include a variety of clinical presentations that are associated with hypertrophy of different parts of the body. AIM Perform a systematic literature review to assess the current treatment options and their efficacy and safety in PROS. METHODS A literature search was performed in EMBASE, MEDLINE (Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar to retrieve publications on the treatment for hypertrophy in PROS and randomized controlled trials, cohort studies or case series including ≥10 patients reporting were included in the review. Titles, abstracts and full texts were assessed by two reviewers independently. The Risk of Bias (RoB) was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. RESULTS 16 articles for the treatment of hypertrophy in PROS patients were included, 13 (81.3%) from clinical retrospective studies and 3 (13.7%) from prospective cohort studies. The ROB grade was low for 2, medium for 12 and high for 2 studies. 13 articles reported surgical treatment, while 3 reported pharmacological treatment using PIK3/mTOR pathway inhibitors in PROS patients. In 3 studies, PROS was defined by a mutation in the PIK3CA gene, while the other studies relied on a clinical definition of PROS. Surgical therapy was beneficial for a specific subgroup of PROS (macrodactyly), but little was reported concerning surgery and potential benefits in other PROS entities. Reported side effects in surgical therapy were mostly prolonged wound healing or scarring. PIK3/mTOR pathway inhibition was beneficial in patients with PROS reducing hypertrophy as well as systemic symptoms. Adverse effects reported included infection, changes in blood count, liver enzymes and metabolic measures. CONCLUSION Surgery is a locally limited treatment option in specific types of PROS. A promising treatment option in PROS is the pharmacological PIK3CA inhibition. However, the level of evidence on treatment of overgrowth in PROS patients is limited

Parkes Weber Syndrome: Contribution of the Genotype to the Diagnosis

Objectives: Parkes Weber syndrome (PWS) is a rare disorder that combines overgrowth, capillary malformations, and arteriovenous malformations (AVM)/arteriovenous fistulas, for which underlying activating mutations in the ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway have been described. The clinical overlap with Klippel-Trenauny syndrome, associated with mutations in PIK3CA, is significant. This case series aimed to elaborate on the phenotypic description of PWS, to underline its clinical overlap with Klippel-Trenauny syndrome and nonsyndromic AVM, and to evaluate the contribution of genotypic characterization to the diagnosis. Methods: All patients diagnosed with PWS upon enrollment in the Bernese VAScular COngenital Malformations (VASCOM) cohort were included. The diagnostic criteria of PWS were retrospectively reviewed. A next-generation sequencing (NGS) gene panel (TSO500, Illumina) was used on tissue biopsy samples. Results: Overall, 10/559 patients of the VAScular COngenital Malformations cohort were initially diagnosed with PWS. Three patients were reclassified as nonsyndromic AVM (Kristen Rat Sarcoma Viral oncogene homolog [KRAS], KRAS+tumor protein p53, and protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 11). Finally, 7 patients fulfilled all clinical diagnostic criteria of PWS. Genetic testing was available in 5 PWS patients. Only 1 patient had the classic RASA1 mutation; another patient had mutations in G protein subunit alpha q (GNAQ) and phosphatase and tensin homolog. In a third case, a PIK3CA mutation was detected. In 2 patients, no mutations were identified. Conclusion: Overgrowth syndromes with vascular malformations are rare and their clinical overlap hampers the classification of individual phenotypes under specific syndrome labels, sometimes even despite genetic testing. To provide optimal patient care, an accurate phenotypic description combined with the identification of molecular targets for precision medicine may be more meaningful than the syndrome classification itself

Genetic evidence for a role of adiponutrin in the metabolism of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins

Adiponutrin (PNPLA3) is a predominantly liver-expressed transmembrane protein with phospholipase activity that is regulated by fasting and feeding. Recent genome-wide association studies identified PNPLA3 to be associated with hepatic fat content and liver function, thus pointing to a possible involvement in the hepatic lipoprotein metabolism. The aim of this study was to examine the association between two common variants in the adiponutrin gene and parameters of lipoprotein metabolism in 23 274 participants from eight independent West-Eurasian study populations including six population-based studies [Bruneck (n = 800), KORA S3/F3 (n = 1644), KORA S4/F4 (n = 1814), CoLaus (n = 5435), SHIP (n = 4012), Rotterdam (n = 5967)], the SAPHIR Study as a healthy working population (n = 1738) and the Utah Obesity Case-Control Study including a group of 1037 severely obese individuals (average BMI 46 kg/m2) and 827 controls from the same geographical region of Utah. We observed a strong additive association of a common non-synonymous variant within adiponutrin (rs738409) with age-, gender-, and alanine-aminotransferase-adjusted lipoprotein concentrations: each copy of the minor allele decreased levels of total cholesterol on average by 2.43 mg/dl (P = 8.87 × 10−7), non-HDL cholesterol levels by 2.35 mg/dl (P = 2.27 × 10−6) and LDL cholesterol levels by 1.48 mg/dl (P = 7.99 × 10−4). These associations remained significant after correction for multiple testing. We did not observe clear evidence for associations with HDL cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations. In conclusion, our study suggests that adiponutrin is involved in the metabolism of apoB-containing lipoprotein