Newest publications
Combining spring wheat genotypes with contrasting root architectures modifies plant–microbe interactions under different water regimes
(2025) Lattacher, Adrian; Le Gall, Samuel; Rothfuss, Youri; Harings, Moritz; Armbruster, Wolfgang; van Dusschoten, Dagmar; Pflugfelder, Daniel; Alahmad, Samir; Hickey, Lee T.; Kandeler, Ellen; Poll, Christian; Lattacher, Adrian; Soil Biology Department, Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany; Le Gall, Samuel; Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Agrosphere (IBG-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany; Rothfuss, Youri; Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Agrosphere (IBG-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany; Harings, Moritz; Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Agrosphere (IBG-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany; Armbruster, Wolfgang; Department of Food Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Food and Chemistry, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany; van Dusschoten, Dagmar; Institute of Bio- and Geoscience, Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany; Pflugfelder, Daniel; Institute of Bio- and Geoscience, Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany; Alahmad, Samir; Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, 4072, St Lucia, QLD, Australia; Hickey, Lee T.; Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, 4072, St Lucia, QLD, Australia; Kandeler, Ellen; Soil Biology Department, Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany; Poll, Christian; Soil Biology Department, Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
Background and Aims: Improving agricultural tolerance to climate change is crucial for food security. We investigated whether combining wheat genotypes with contrasting root architecture enhances plant performance under varying conditions. Specifically, we examined how these genotype mixtures affect nitrogen uptake, carbon release and root-microbe interactions compared to single-genotype plantings.
Methods: We exposed monocultures and a mixture of shallow- and deep-rooting spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes separately to well-watered and water-deficit conditions in a column experiment. We determined plant and microbial biomass, major microbial groups, and β-glucosidase activity using soil zymography. Additionally, we followed carbon and nitrogen fluxes in the plant-soil-microorganism system by 13CO2 labelling of the atmosphere and 15N injection into top- and subsoil.
Results: Combining wheat genotypes with contrasting root phenotypes influenced microbial activity and nutrient uptake depending on water availability. Under well-watered conditions, the mixture performed similarly to the respective monocultures. However, under water-deficit conditions, it exhibited complementary nutrient acquisition strategies where the deep-rooting genotype accessed deeper soil layers, while the shallow-rooting genotype relied more on topsoil nitrogen. This was accompanied by a reduced release of plant-derived carbon into the soil, resulting in lower microbial abundance and reduced β-glucosidase activity compared to monocultures.
Conclusion: Our results show that plants grown in a mixture performed similarly to monocultures under well-watered conditions while acquiring nutrients more efficiently under water-deficit conditions. This highlights the potential suitability of combining genotypes with contrasting root phenotypes under climate change. However, yield effects remained untested due to experimental constraints, warranting further investigation under field conditions.
Boosting multi-professional collaboration in palliative care through digital technologies: an action design research study
(2024) Wöhl, Moritz; Gimpel, Henner; Meindl, Oliver; Ostgathe, Christoph; Peuten, Sarah; Schneider, Werner; Steigleder, Tobias; Wöhl, Moritz; FIM Research Center for Information Management, Augsburg, Germany; Gimpel, Henner; FIM Research Center for Information Management, Augsburg, Germany; Meindl, Oliver; FIM Research Center for Information Management, Augsburg, Germany; Ostgathe, Christoph; Palliativmedizinische Abteilung, Comprehensive Cancer Center CCC Erlangen-EMN, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany; Peuten, Sarah; Chair of Sociology, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany; Schneider, Werner; Chair of Sociology, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany; Steigleder, Tobias; Palliativmedizinische Abteilung, Comprehensive Cancer Center CCC Erlangen-EMN, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
The success of palliative care requires collaboration among multiple professions within a sensibly digitized work system. The diverse perspectives and expertise of team members inform their collective endeavor, often leading to differing interpretations and priorities in patient care. This diversity necessitates a continual exchange of knowledge and information. Current technologies, including the hospital information system, do not foster such collaboration, particularly in palliative care. This study explores digital enhancements that can promote multi-professional collaboration (MPC). The authors employed action design research and used a work system theory lense to examine the palliative care work systems in two hospital wards in Germany. Through extensive on-site observations and interventions with practitioners, the study identified challenges that arose during MPC. This paper presents the proposed organizational and technical solutions. The paper provides design principles and guidelines for a collaboration support system to maximize MPC. Theoretical contributions include insights into the challenges of MPC and design knowledge about collaboration support. This work can inform practitioners about common challenges and offers potential solutions and guidance for implementing a collaboration support system.
Designing collaborative intelligence systems for employee-AI service co-production
(2025) Blaurock, Marah; Büttgen, Marion; Schepers, Jeroen; Blaurock, Marah; Institute of Marketing & Management, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Büttgen, Marion; Institute of Marketing & Management, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Schepers, Jeroen; Innovation, Technology Entrepreneurship & Marketing (ITEM) group, Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute (EAISI). Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Employees increasingly co-produce services with artificial intelligence (AI). Focusing on system design, this research uncovers (1) which system features qualify an AI system as a so-called collaborative intelligence (CI) system, (2) to what extent CI systems influence work-related employee outcomes, and (3) which CI features relate to which outcomes. Based on an extensive literature review and a qualitative study, we demarcate CI from related concepts—such as hybrid intelligence, collective intelligence, and human-AI teaming—and identify five relevant CI system features: engagement, transparency, process control, outcome control, and reciprocal strength enhancement. Employing two scenario-based experiments with financial services employees ( N = 309) and HR professionals ( N = 345), we demonstrate that strong CI systems (i.e., characterized by the aforementioned five features) significantly relate to perceived service improvement, perceived outcome responsibility, (threat to) meaning of work, and adherence to the system. Particularly, transparency, process control, and outcome control are important design features, while, surprisingly, engagement seems less relevant. We also identify previous AI experience of employees as an important contingency factor: effects are much stronger for AI novices. Our research contributes to service literature by defining CI systems, while practitioners may benefit from our blueprint for CI system design.
Spectral similarity score (SSS)-barcoding for the quality control of LACTEM emulsifiers by high-performance thin-layer chromatography
(2026) Schuster, Katharina; Torun, Sedef; Kainz, Inès; Schwarz-Blankart, Max; Hinrichs, Jörg; Steliopoulos, Panagiotis; Oellig, Claudia; Schuster, Katharina; Department of Food Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry (170a), Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 28, Stuttgart, Germany; Torun, Sedef; Department of Food Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry (170a), Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 28, Stuttgart, Germany; Kainz, Inès; Department of Soft Matter Science and Dairy Technology (150e), Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 21, Stuttgart, Germany; Schwarz-Blankart, Max; Department of Soft Matter Science and Dairy Technology (150e), Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 21, Stuttgart, Germany; Hinrichs, Jörg; Department of Soft Matter Science and Dairy Technology (150e), Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 21, Stuttgart, Germany; Steliopoulos, Panagiotis; Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt (CVUA), Weißenburgerstrasse 3, Karlsruhe, Germany; Oellig, Claudia; Department of Food Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry (170a), Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 28, Stuttgart, Germany
LACTEM emulsifiers are widely applied in the food industry to adjust and improve techno-functional properties of food products. The study introduces a high-performance thin-layer chromatography−fluorescence detection (HPTLC−FLD) fingerprint method for the similarity assessment of these emulsifiers using a straightforward barcoding approach based on the concept of spectral similarity scores (SSS), referred to as SSS-barcoding. Analysis of 21 LACTEM emulsifiers showed similarities between two emulsifiers as low as 67%, despite the same product labeling. The method also revealed batch-to-batch variability. Limitations were identified when applying the method to fatty matrices. Finally, partial least-squares regression (PLSR) was applied as a proof-of-concept to predict the techno-functional properties of aerosol whipping cream, such as drainage, apparent viscosity, foam firmness, particle size (D90,3), and overrun, from the densitometric data.
Role of iron and TfR1 in the application of high‑dose ascorbate against pancreatic cancer
(2026) Piotrowsky, Alban; Leischner, Christian; Schmieder, Hendrik; Detert, Katja; Schneider, Kathrin; Schulte, Johanna; Hammerschmidt, Sabrina; Marongiu, Luigi; Renner, Olga; Burkard, Markus; Venturelli, Sascha
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest tumor diseases with an urgent need for new therapy options. At the same time, the use of high‑dose vitamin C in cancer treatment has been investigated for decades. Despite promising in vitro and in vivo data and initial clinical studies, there is a need for optimization with regard to an ideal treatment regimen and suitable patient population for the use of high‑dose vitamin C. The aim of the present study was to evaluate for the first time the combination of high‑dose vitamin C with the administration of iron in three human pancreatic cancer cell lines and to determine the exact cell death mechanism. While the investigated cell lines showed a high susceptibility to ascorbate treatment, the combination treatment with FeCl3 generally led to a reduction in the ascorbate effect and in the formation of reactive oxygen species. The ascorbate‑induced cell death showed no signs of apoptosis but clear ferroptotic properties. Furthermore, treatment of the tumor cells with FeCl3 was accompanied by reduced expression of TfR1, preventing an increase in the intracellular labile iron pool. The present study provided valuable information on the mechanism of action of high‑dose vitamin C in pancreatic cancer, whereby a combination treatment with ferric iron in the context of tumor therapy is not recommended based on these data.