share it - The Open Access and Research Data Repository of the University Libraries in Saxony-Anhalt
Not a member yet
91636 research outputs found
Sort by
Linking effect traits of soil fauna to processes of organic matter transformation
Get PDFSoil organic matter (SOM) transformation processes are regulated by the activities of plants, microbes, and fauna. Compared with plants and microbes, effects of soil fauna are less understood because of their high taxonomic and functional diversity, and mix of direct and indirect effect mechanisms. Trait-based approaches offer a generic perspective to quantify mechanistic relationships between soil fauna and SOM transformations, including decomposition, translocation, and stabilisation of organic carbon. Yet, at present, we lack a consensus concerning relevant key effect traits of soil fauna (i.e. those affecting ecosystem functioning).
Here, we address this knowledge gap by focusing on relationships between soil fauna effect traits and SOM transformations. Based on existing literature, we identify key processes linked to SOM transformations, and fauna effect traits universally applicable across taxa and soil types, and discuss the process-trait links.
We define eight SOM transformation processes that are directly affected by soil fauna: (i) litter mass loss, (ii) litter fragmentation, (iii) SOM aggregation in faeces, (iv) SOM aggregation in soil mineral particles, (v) decomposition of faeces, (vi) SOM and mineral translocation, (vii) pore space creation and maintenance and (viii) SOM stabilisation. We link these processes to general effect traits classified into four categories: (a) food selection and ingestion, (b), digestion and excretion, (c) mobility, and (d) body mass and metabolic rate. We also propose proxies when effect trait measurements are laborious.
The proposed links between effect traits and SOM transformation processes need to be validated in targeted experiments. We urge researchers to obtain quantitative experimental data, together with metabolic approaches, to integratively quantify soil fauna contributions to soil functioning
3D-printed microstructured alginate scaffolds for neural tissue engineering
Get PDFAlginate (Alg) is a versatile biopolymer for scaffold engineering and a bioink component widely used for direct cell printing. However, due to a lack of intrinsic cell-binding sites, Alg must be functionalized for cellular adhesion when used as a scaffold. Moreover, direct cell-laden ink 3D printing requires tedious disinfection procedures and cell viability is compromised by shear stress. Here, we demonstrate proof-of-concept, bioactive additive-free, microstructured Alg (M-Alg) scaffolds for neuron culture. The M-Alg scaffold was formed by introducing tetrapod-shaped ZnO (t-ZnO) microparticles into the ink as structural templates for interconnected channels and textured surfaces in the 3D-printed Alg scaffold, which were subsequently removed. Neurons exhibited significantly improved adhesion and growth on these M-Alg scaffolds compared with pristine Alg (P-Alg) scaffolds, with extensive neurite outgrowth and spontaneous neural activity, indicating the maturation of neuronal networks. These transparent, porous, additive-free Alg-based scaffolds with neuron affinity are promising for neuroregenerative and organoid-related research
Molecular dynamics of plant-virus interactions : unravelling the dual role of ubiquitin proteasome system
Get PDFPlants response to various biotic and abiotic factors requires not only the de novo synthesis of proteins and enzymes but also their precise and timely degradation. The latter is achieved through protein degradation machinery such as the ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPS). The UPS plays a central role in maintaining cellular physiology and orchestrating plant response to stresses responses. The UPS regulates all stages of defense response from pathogen perception to mounting defense response, this make the UPS a suitable candidate for host manipulation. Viruses are obligatory intracellular pathogens and master of manipulating host defense machinery for successful infection and spread. Several reports suggest a dynamic interaction between the host UPS machinery and viruses. This review focuses on our current understanding of the involvement of UPS in defense against plant viruses and how viruses have evolved mechanisms to counter and exploit UPS machinery for their advantage
Light exposure, physical activity, and indigeneity modulate seasonal variation in NR1D1 (REV-ERBα) expression
Get PDFNuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1 (NR1D1 or REV-ERBα) is a crucial element of the circadian clock’s transcriptional and translational feedback loop. Understanding its expression in humans is critical for elucidating its role in circadian rhythms and metabolic processes, and in finding potential links to various pathologies. In a longitudinal survey, we examined REV-ERBα expression at 08:00 using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in blood mononuclear cells from Arctic native and non-native residents during equinoxes and solstices. REV-ERBα expression exhibited a pronounced seasonality, peaking at the summer solstice, and reaching a nadir at the winter solstice in both natives and non-natives, with a relatively higher summer peak in natives. After adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index, the amount and timing of light exposure, the amount of physical activity, and indigeneity emerged as significant predictors of REV-ERBα expression
A screen of plant-based natural products revealed that quercetin prevents pyroglutamylated amyloid-β (Aβ3(pE)-42) uptake in astrocytes as well as resulting astrogliosis and synaptic dysfunction
Get PDFTwo connected histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are chronic neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction. The accumulation of the most prevalent posttranslationally modified form of Aβ1-42, pyroglutamylated amyloid-β (Aβ3(pE)-42) in astrocytes is directly linked to glial activation and the release of proinflammatory cytokines that in turn contribute to early synaptic dysfunction in AD. At present, the mechanisms of Aβ3(pE)-42 uptake to astrocytes are unknown and pharmacological interventions that interfere with this process are not available. Here we developed a simple screening assay to identify substances from a plant extract library that prevent astroglial Aβ3(pE)-42 uptake. We first show that this approach yields valid and reproducible results. Second, we show endocytosis of Aβ3(pE)-42 oligomers by astrocytes and that quercetin, a plant flavonol, is effective to specifically block astrocytic buildup of oligomeric Aβ3(pE)-42. Importantly, quercetin does not induce a general impairment of endocytosis. However, it efficiently protects against early synaptic dysfunction following exogenous Aβ3(pE)-42 application
Nitrogen content of herbarium specimens from arable fields and mesic meadows reflect the intensifying agricultural management during the 20th century
Get PDFArable fields and mesic meadows have been affected by intensifying agricultural management and nutrient input during the 20th century, but direct evidence for the long-term impact of intensification on plant nutrient contents remains scarce. Non-destructive novel spectroscopic methods can produce such data from herbarium specimens, making it possible to investigate how contents of leaf nutrient traits, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, changed over the last century, and what role habitat type and management practices play.
We carried out a resurvey study of functional traits in arable field and mesic meadow communities. We used specimens from two German herbaria with a high coverage of their local floras: the herbaria Senckenberg Görlitz and Senckenberg Haussknecht in Jena. Following specimen information, the same plant species were resampled in the field in 2022 at the same locations. We employed near-infrared spectroscopy to predict leaf nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon content of herbarium and field specimens. Nutrient content changes over time were compared with public records of regional P and N fertilization.
Overall, 1270 specimens of 76 species from both herbarium and field were studied, the oldest from the 19th century. Leaf nitrogen and the leaf nitrogen:phosphorus ratio increased significantly through time, while leaf phosphorus and carbon content decreased significantly over time. Arable field species showed a stronger response in leaf phosphorus content and leaf nitrogen:phosphorus ratio than mesic meadow species. The total amount of nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizer applied per year on a regional scale was found to be significantly correlated with the respective leaf nutrient content levels.
Synthesis: Our study shows a long-term increase of leaf nitrogen in the studied habitats, paralleling increased chemical fertilizer applications in Germany. Our data indicate a shift from predominantly N-limited towards more P-limited growth conditions. The stronger response of species from arable fields compared to species from mesic meadows could indicate a faster adjustment to environmental pressures. This study thus also serves to showcase the potential of the combination of herbarium collections and NIR spectroscopy
A new variant of slow bee paralysis virus revealed by transcriptome analysis
Get PDFUsing NGS data from an RNA-seq library, we reveal a novel variant of slow bee paralysis virus (SBPV) in a pooled sample of adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) collected in southwest Germany. We provide its sequence (NCBI Accession No. PP100271) and demonstrate that it is infective for adult honey bees by feeding
Evolution under intensive industrial breeding : skull size and shape comparison between historic and modern pig lineages
Get PDFDomestication and subsequent human-induced selection has enhanced profound changes in animal morphology. On modern domestic pigs, those transformations encompass not only overall increases in body size but also modifications in skull morphology. While skull morphological differences between modern domestic pigs and wild boar are relatively well-documented, less understood is the variation and underlying mechanisms associated with intensive breeding. In this study, we investigated the rate and direction of phenotypic change of skull morphology using a unique dataset that includes two lineages of German domestic pig that were subjected to similar intensive industrial selection pressures throughout the twentieth century, alongside contemporaneous populations of German wild boar. Size and shape variation of 135 specimens was quantified through geometric morphometrics, with 82 three-dimensional landmarks. We find expected differences in skull shape between wild and domestic pigs, but also convergence between the two domestic lineages through the century of directed breeding, despite population segregation. Our results suggest that cranial morphologies have rapidly responded to selection pressure that is independent of genetic isolation. This also suggests that pig morphotypes quickly reflect human agency and impact upon domestic animal phenotypes, revealing a pathway to investigate early human breeding activity in ancient and historical contexts
NCCN guideline-concordant cancer care in Sub-Saharan Africa : a population-based multicountry study of 5 cancers
Get PDFBackground: To assess population-based quality of cancer care in sub-Saharan Africa and to identify specific gaps and joint opportunities,
we assessed concordance of diagnostics and treatments with National Comprehensive Cancer Network Harmonized
Guidelines for leading cancer types in 10 countries.
Methods: Adult patients with female breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and prostate cancer
were randomly drawn from 11 population-based cancer registries. Guideline concordance of diagnostics and treatment was assessed
using clinical records. In a subcohort of 906 patients with potentially curable cancer (stage I-III breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal
cancer, prostate cancer, aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma [any stage]) and documentation for more than 1 month after diagnosis,
we estimated factors associated with guideline-concordant treatment or minor deviations.
Results: Diagnostic information based on guidelines was complete for 1030 (31.7%) of a total of 3246 patients included. In the subcohort
with curable cancer, guideline-concordant treatment was documented in 374 (41.3%, corresponding to 11.7% of 3246 patients
included in the population-based cohort): aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (59.8%/9.1% population based), breast cancer (54.5%/
19.0%), prostate cancer (39.0%/6.1%), colorectal cancer (33.9%/9.5%), and cervical cancer (27.8%/11.6%). Guideline-concordant treatment
was most frequent in Namibia (73.1% of the curable cancer subcohort/32.8% population based) and lowest in Kampala, Uganda
(13.5%/3.1%). Guideline-concordant treatment was negatively associated with poor ECOG-ACRIN performance status, locally advanced disease stage, origin from low Human Development Index countries, and a diagnosis of colorectal cancer or cervical cancer.
Conclusions: The quality of diagnostic workup and treatment showed major deficits, with considerable disparities among countries and cancer types. Improved diagnostic services are necessary to increase the share of curable cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. Treatment components within National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines for several cancers should be prioritized