Auswirkungen einer Hecke auf Bodenwasserhaushalt, Bodenparameter und Ertrag in angrenzenden Ackerflächen

Bei trockenen Bedingungen wurde ein positiver Einfluss auf den Pflanzenertrag aufgrund des Verdunstungsschutzes von Hecken nachgewiesen In einem interdisziplinären Projekt auf einem ökologisch wirtschaftenden Betrieb, östlich von Wien, wird das Ausmaß des Einflusses einer Hecke auf das gespeicherten Bodenwasser, auf ausgewählte Bodenparameter und den Pflanzenertrag in die angrenzende Ackerfläche seit dem Jahr 2003 untersucht. Bei jedem Luzerneschnitt wurde der höchste Ertrag unmittelbar neben der Hecke erzielt. Die statistische Auswertung ergab jedoch nur beim dritten Luzerneschnitt und beim Gesamtluzerneertrag einen signifikanten Zusammenhang zwischen Ertrag und Entfernung zur Hecke. Beim dritten Schnitt Mitte August ist eine deutliche kontinuierliche Ertragsabnahme mit zunehmender Entfernung zur Hecke erkennbar, was durch den geringeren Bodenwassergehalt im Hochsommer mit größerem Heckenabstand erklärt werden kann

Influence of antipsychotic drugs on microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in schizophrenia: perspectives in an astrocyte–microglia co-culture model

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder with a strong lifetime impact on patients’ health and wellbeing. Usually, symptomatic treatment includes typical or atypical antipsychotics. Study findings show an involvement of low-grade inflammation (blood, brain parenchyma, and cerebrospinal fluid) in schizophrenia. Moreover, experimental and neuropathological evidence suggests that reactive microglia, which are the main resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), have a negative impact on the differentiation and function of oligodendrocytes, glial progenitor cells, and astrocytes, which results in the disruption of neuronal networks and dysregulated synaptic transmission, contributing to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Here, the role of microglial cells related to neuroinflammation in schizophrenia was discussed to be essential. This review aims to summarize the evidence for the influence of antipsychotics on microglial inflammatory mechanisms in schizophrenia. Furthermore, we propose an established astrocyte–microglia co-culture model for testing regulatory mechanisms and examining the effects of antipsychotics on glia-mediated neuroinflammation. This could lead to a better understanding of how typical and atypical antipsychotics can be used to address positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia and comorbidities like inflammatory diseases or the status of low-grade inflammation

Die vaskuläre Anatomie der vorderen Bauchwand: ein Beitrag zur Vermeidung von Gefäßverletzungen bei der laparoskopischen Chirurgie

Die Verletzung der in der Bauchwand verlaufenden Gefäße ist eine potentielle Komplikation aller laparoskopischer Verfahren. Die Kenntnis der Anatomie bildet die Grundvoraussetzung zur Vermeidung derartiger Komplikationen. An 28 Leichnamen wurde der Verlauf der Gefäße der Bauchwand bestimmt und Regionen für eine sichere sowie solche für eine gefährliche Trokarposition (dangerous zones) aufgezeigt.Injuries to vessels of the abdominal wall are an potential complication in laparoscopic surgery but, with the increasing use of this technique, tend to occur more often. The exact knowledge of the anatomy of the parietal structures of the abdominal wall remains the main prerequisite in avoiding these complications. In this study, the course of these vessels was dissected in 28 abdominal walls taken from human cadavers, and regions for relatively safe trocar positions and ‘dangerous zones’ were determined

Identification of Blood Cell Transcriptome-Based Biomarkers in Adulthood Predictive of Increased Risk to Develop Metabolic Disorders Using Early Life Intervention Rat Models

[eng] Calorie restriction during gestation in rats has long-lasting adverse effects in the offspring. It induces metabolic syndrome-related alterations, which are partially reversed by leptin supplementation during lactation. We employed these conditions to identify transcript-based nutrient sensitive biomarkers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) predictive of later adverse metabolic health. The best candidate was validated in humans. Transcriptome analysis of PBMCs from adult male Wistar rats of three experimental groups was performed: offspring of control dams (CON), and offspring of 20% calorie-restricted dams during gestation without (CR) and with leptin supplementation throughout lactation (CR-LEP). The expression of 401 genes was affected by gestational calorie restriction and reversed by leptin. The changes preceded metabolic syndrome-related phenotypic alterations. Of these genes, Npc1 mRNA levels were lower in CR vs CON, and normalized to CON in CR-LEP. In humans, NPC1 mRNA levels in peripheral blood cells (PBCs) were decreased in subjects with mildly impaired metabolic health compared to healthy subjects. Therefore, a set of potential transcript-based biomarkers indicative of a predisposition to metabolic syndrome-related alterations were identified, including NPC1, which was validated in humans. Low NPC1 transcript levels in PBCs are a candidate biomarker of increased risk for impaired metabolic health in humans

Sternalis muscle: an underestimated anterior chest wall anatomical variant

Over the recent years, an increased alertness for thorough knowledge of anatomical variants with clinical significance has been recorded in order to minimize the risks of surgical complications. We report a rare case of bilateral strap-like sternalis muscle of the anterior chest wall in a female cadaver. Its presence may evoke alterations in the electrocardiogram or confuse a routine mammography. The incidental finding of a sternalis muscle in mammography, CT, and MRI studies must be documented in a patient's medical records as it can be used as a pedicle flap or flap microvascular anastomosis during reconstructive surgery of the anterior chest wall, head and neck, and breast. Moreover, its presence may be misdiagnosed as a wide range of benign and malignant anterior chest wall lesions and tumors.J Cardiothorac Sur

Adaptive economic and ecological forest management under risk

Background Forest managers must deal with inherently stochastic ecological and economic processes. The future growth of trees is uncertain, and so is their value. The randomness of low-impact, high frequency or rare catastrophic shocks in forest growth has significant implications in shaping the mix of tree species and the forest landscape. In addition, the fluctuations of wood prices influence greatly forest revenues. Methods Markov decision process models (MDPs) offer a rigorous and practical way of developing optimum management strategies, given these multiple sources of risk. Results Examples illustrate how such management guidelines are obtained with MDPs for combined ecological and economic objectives, including diversity of tree species and size, landscape diversity, old growth preservation, and carbon sequestration. Conclusions The findings illustrate the power of the MDP approach to deal with risk in forest resource management. They recognize that the future is best viewed in terms of probabilities. Given these probabilities, MDPs tie optimum adaptive actions strictly to the state of the forest and timber prices at decision time. The methods are theoretically rigorous, numerically efficient, and practical for field implementation

Real-world data of azacitidine for relapsed/refractory nodal T-follicular helper cell lymphoma in 11 patients

Relapsed or refractory (r/r) nodal T-follicular helper cell lymphoma of the angioimmunoblastic type is a rare disease with a dismal prognosis. This disease usually harbors mutations in epigenetic modifiers. A standard of treatment for an r/r disease is not known. Here, we report real-world data of 11 patients with a median age of 73 years, treated with azacitidine, a hypomethylating agent. Overall survival was 182 days. Five patients died from progressive disease; three were in complete remission after allogeneic stem cell transplantation; two were in complete remission, still receiving azacytidine; and one was under treatment for relapse. The treatment was well-tolerated despite the advanced age, and there was a high burden of comorbidities with a median hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) of 5, a score for identifying relevant comorbidities. However, a grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicity occurred in nine patients. Azacitidine may be a suitable treatment option for some patients with r/r nodal T-follicular helper cell lymphoma

Reduced pelvic pain in women with endometriosis: efficacy of long-term dienogest treatment

Purpose To investigate the efficacy and safety of dienogest as a long-term treatment in endometriosis, with follow-up after treatment discontinuation. The study included women with endometriosis, who had previously completed a 12-week, placebo-controlled study of dienogest, who participated in an open-label extension study for up to 53 weeks. Thereafter, a patient subgroup was evaluated in a 24-week follow-up after treatment discontinuation. Methods A multicenter study performed in Germany, Italy and Ukraine. Women with endometriosis were enrolled at completion of the placebo-controlled study (n = 168). All women received dienogest (2 mg once daily, orally) and changes in pelvic pain (on a visual analog scale), bleeding pattern, adverse events and laboratory parameters were evaluated during and after treatment. Results The completion rate among women who entered the open-label extension study was 90.5% (n = 152). A Significant decrease in pelvic pain was shown during continued dienogest treatment (P < 0.001). The mean frequency and intensity of bleeding progressively decreased. Adverse events, rated generally mild or moderate, led to withdrawal in four patients (2.4%). No clinically relevant changes in laboratory parameters were observed. During treatmentfree follow-up (n = 34), the reduction in pelvic pain persisted, while bleeding frequency and intensity returned to normal patterns. Conclusions Long-term dienogest showed a favorable efficacy and safety profile, with progressive decreases in pain and bleeding irregularities during continued treatment; the decrease of pelvic pain persisted for at least 24 weeks after treatment cessation. © Springer-Verlag 2011

Sternalis muscle: an underestimated anterior chest wall anatomical variant

Over the recent years, an increased alertness for thorough knowledge of anatomical variants with clinical significance has been recorded in order to minimize the risks of surgical complications. We report a rare case of bilateral strap-like sternalis muscle of the anterior chest wall in a female cadaver. Its presence may evoke alterations in the electrocardiogram or confuse a routine mammography. The incidental finding of a sternalis muscle in mammography, CT, and MRI studies must be documented in a patient's medical records as it can be used as a pedicle flap or flap microvascular anastomosis during reconstructive surgery of the anterior chest wall, head and neck, and breast. Moreover, its presence may be misdiagnosed as a wide range of benign and malignant anterior chest wall lesions and tumors

Albumin and multiple sclerosis

A grant from the One-University Open Access Fund at the University of Kansas was used to defray the author's publication fees in this Open Access journal. The Open Access Fund, administered by librarians from the KU, KU Law, and KUMC libraries, is made possible by contributions from the offices of KU Provost, KU Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies, and KUMC Vice Chancellor for Research. For more information about the Open Access Fund, please see http://library.kumc.edu/authors-fund.xml.Leakage of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a common pathological feature in multiple sclerosis (MS). Following a breach of the BBB, albumin, the most abundant protein in plasma, gains access to CNS tissue where it is exposed to an inflammatory milieu and tissue damage, e.g., demyelination. Once in the CNS, albumin can participate in protective mechanisms. For example, due to its high concentration and molecular properties, albumin becomes a target for oxidation and nitration reactions. Furthermore, albumin binds metals and heme thereby limiting their ability to produce reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species. Albumin also has the potential to worsen disease. Similar to pathogenic processes that occur during epilepsy, extravasated albumin could induce the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and affect the ability of astrocytes to maintain potassium homeostasis thereby possibly making neurons more vulnerable to glutamate exicitotoxicity, which is thought to be a pathogenic mechanism in MS. The albumin quotient, albumin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/albumin in serum, is used as a measure of blood-CSF barrier dysfunction in MS, but it may be inaccurate since albumin levels in the CSF can be influenced by multiple factors including: 1) albumin becomes proteolytically cleaved during disease, 2) extravasated albumin is taken up by macrophages, microglia, and astrocytes, and 3) the location of BBB damage affects the entry of extravasated albumin into ventricular CSF. A discussion of the roles that albumin performs during MS is put forth