Effects of climate change on the dispersion of white grub damages in the Austrian grassland

Recent changes in occurrence of agricultural pests in Austria might already reflect climate change phenomena. In this study, an inventory of white grub (Melolontha melolontha, Amphimallon solstitiale and Phyllopertha horticola) damages in Austrian grassland including organic cultivation was performed by questioning plant protection consultants of 74 Agricultural County Chambers. Altogether, a cumulated 14.800 hectares of white grub damages were recorded. From 2000 onwards, a steady increase of white grub damages occurred with a climax in the year of heat and drought 2003. The infested fields extended along the alpine main ridge from Vorarlberg up to the alpine foreland. Additionally, southern slopes of the Danube valley in Upper and Lower Austria were affected. Very likely, the damages were mainly due to the garden chafer P. horticola. From 2004 to 2006, the extent of damages decreased again all over Austria. By studying meteorological data, it became obvious that the damaged areas were mainly situated in regions with a strong precipitation deficit. On-farm investigations performed in 2007 strengthened the hypothesis that drought and elevated soil temperatures might be the decisive factors for a strong development of grub populations and subsequent feeding damages. Additionally, drought can increase the effects of grub damage by delaying the regeneration of the damaged sward. A strongly damaged sward on slopes can be dangerous for the farmers e.g. by slipping machines

Untersuchungen zur Niederschlagsabhängigkeit der Verbreitung des Ampferblattkäfers (Gastrophysa viridula)

The broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) is a widely distributed weed of cultivated grasslands. Since the dock leaf beetle (Gastrophysa viridula) can defoliate docks extensively, if occurring in sufficient high densities, it is considered to be a potential part of a biocontrol strategy against R. obtusifolius. Our study aimed at investigating the influence of precipitation on the distribution of G. viridula. For that, 635 questionnaires were sent out to organic farmers and surveys were conducted on 39 farms in Lower Austria. The results showed G. viridula preferring regions with sufficient precipitation. These observations confirmed laboratory results reported in literature and should be considered in a concept for the enhancement of dock beetle populations as part of an organic dock regulation strategy

IQ-Pass: Access to Growth

The market of (temporary) access control is one example of an industry that is impacted by digitization and internationalisation. New possibilities come up and ask for reaction from suppliers, but require the re-specification of needs from customers as well. It is also an illustration how new regulation, in this case especially related to privacy and migration, influences industrial dynamics. Related to new technological possibilities and legislative conditions, the industry is in a process of consolidation. This case focuses on a small but innovative company, IQ-Pass, developing its growth strategy in Europe within its constellation of being a subsidiary of the regional champion Boels Rental. Students will gain an understanding of the challenges of the company, in stretching its technological leverage and customer intimacy on the one hand and expanding its sales to new (geographical) markets on the other hand

Modeling the Effects of Low Flow Augmentation by Discharge from a Wastewater Treatment Plant on Dissolved Oxygen Concentration in Leon Creek, San Antonio, Texas.

A GIS-based hydrological/water quality model called Non Point Source Model (NPSM) was used to simulate various physical, chemical and biological processes taking place in the Leon Creek Watershed, near San Antonio, Texas. The model was then used to evaluate base flow augmentation scenarios to remedy dissolved oxygen problems during dry, low-flow periods. The effects were demonstrated by increasing base flow in a stream by discharging recycled water from Leon Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant during a three month low-flow period in 1993, 1994 and 1995 respectively. Five scenarios were evaluated in addition to the control scenario (no flow augmentation). Each of the five scenarios represented an increase in base flow by a factor of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 respectively. The study indicated that increasing base flow in the stream increased the mean daily DO concentration in the stream. The most significant effect was observed when the base flow was increased by a factor of 1 onwards, with no data point falling below the DO criterion of 5 mg/l. From the results of DO modeling developed for this project iv and from the scenario analysis, it can be concluded that a minimum flow augmentation of one times base flow (i.e. doubling the base flow) is required in order to see a significant increase in mean daily DO concentration in Leon Creek and associated tributaries and remedy DO problems during low-flow periods. Since there is uncertainty involved in the modeling process, it is recommended that a higher flow augmentation of two times base flow or four times base flow be implemented in order to reduce uncertainty and significantly improve water quality of Leon Creek

Assessing the capacity of local ecosystems to meet industrial demand for ecosystem services

Despite the importance of ecosystems, engineering activities continue to ignore or greatly undervalue their role. Consequently, engineered systems often overshoot nature's capacity to support them, causing ecological degradation. Such systems tend to be inherently unsustainable, and they often fail to benefit from nature's ability to provide essential goods and services. This work explores the idea of including ecosystems in chemical processes, and assesses whether such a techno-ecological synergistic system can operate within ecological constraints. The demand for ecosystem services is quantified by emissions and resources used, while the supply is provided by ecosystems on the manufacturing site. Application to a biodiesel manufacturing site demonstrates that ecosystems can be economically and environmentally superior to conventional technologies for making progress toward zero emissions and net positive impact manufacturing. These results highlight the need for shifting the paradigm of engineering from that of dominating nature to embracing nature and respecting its limits

Lipophilic aroylhydrazone chelator HNTMB and its multiple effects on ovarian cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metal chelators have gained much attention as potential anti-cancer agents. However, the effects of chelators are often linked solely to their capacity to bind iron while the potential complexation of other trace metals has not been fully investigated. In present study, we evaluated the effects of various lipophilic aroylhydrazone chelators (AHC), including novel compound HNTMB, on various ovarian cancer cell lines (SKOV-3, OVCAR-3, NUTU-19).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cell viability was analyzed via MTS cytotoxicity assays and NCI60 cancer cell growth screens. Apoptotic events were monitored via Western Blot analysis, fluorescence microscopy and TUNEL assay. FACS analysis was carried out to study Cell Cycle regulation and detection of intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HNTMB displayed high cytotoxicity (IC50 200-400 nM) compared to previously developed AHC (oVtBBH, HNtBBH, StBBH/206, HNTh2H/315, HNI/311; IC50 0.8-6 μM) or cancer drug Deferoxamine, a hexadentate iron-chelator (IC50 12-25 μM). In a NCI60 cancer cell line screen HNTMB exhibited growth inhibitory effects with remarkable differences in specificity depending on the cell line studied (GI50 10 nM-2.4 μM). In SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells HNTMB treatment led to chromatin fragmentation and activation of the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis with specific down-regulation of Bcl-2. HNTMB caused delayed cell cycle progression of SKOV-3 through G2/M phase arrest. HNTMB can chelate iron and copper of different oxidation states. Complexation with copper lead to high cytotoxicity via generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) while treatment with iron complexes of the drug caused neither cytotoxicity nor increased ROS levels.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present report suggests that both, non-complexed HNTMB as a chelator of intracellular trace-metals as well as a cytotoxic HNTMB/copper complex may be developed as potential therapeutic drugs in the treatment of ovarian and other solid tumors.</p

Predicting infectious complications in neutropenic children and young people with cancer (IPD protocol)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A common and potentially life-threatening complication of the treatment of childhood cancer is infection, which frequently presents as fever with neutropenia. The standard management of such episodes is the extensive use of intravenous antibiotics, and though it produces excellent survival rates of over 95%, it greatly inconveniences the three-fourths of patients who do not require such aggressive treatment. There have been a number of studies which have aimed to develop risk prediction models to stratify treatment. Individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis in therapeutic studies has been developed to improve the precision and reliability of answers to questions of treatment effect and recently have been suggested to be used to answer questions regarding prognosis and diagnosis to gain greater power from the frequently small individual studies.</p> <p>Design</p> <p>In the IPD protocol, we will collect and synthesise IPD from multiple studies and examine the outcomes of episodes of febrile neutropenia as a consequence of their treatment for malignant disease. We will develop and evaluate a risk stratification model using hierarchical regression models to stratify patients by their risk of experiencing adverse outcomes during an episode. We will also explore specific practical and methodological issues regarding adaptation of established techniques of IPD meta-analysis of interventions for use in synthesising evidence derived from IPD from multiple studies for use in predictive modelling contexts.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Our aim in using this model is to define a group of individuals at low risk for febrile neutropenia who might be treated with reduced intensity or duration of antibiotic therapy and so reduce the inconvenience and cost of these episodes, as well as to define a group of patients at very high risk of complications who could be subject to more intensive therapies. The project will also help develop methods of IPD predictive modelling for use in future studies of risk prediction.</p

Deletion Study of DNA Topoisomerase IB from Leishmania donovani: Searching for a Minimal Functional Heterodimer

The substantial differences between trypanosomal and leishmanial DNA topoisomerase IB concerning to their homologues in mammals have provided a new lead in the study of the structural determinants that can be effectively targeted. Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis, contains an unusual heterodimeric DNA topoisomerase IB. The catalytically active enzyme consists of a large subunit (LdTopIL), which contains the non-conserved N-terminal end and the phylogenetically conserved “core” domain, and of a small subunit (LdTopIS) which harbors the C-terminal region with the characteristic tyrosine residue in the active site. Heterologous co-expression of LdTopIL and LdTopIS genes in a topoisomerase I deficient yeast strain, reconstitutes a fully functional enzyme LdTopIL/S which can be used for structural studies. An approach by combinatorial cloning of deleted genes encoding for truncated versions of both subunits was used in order to find out structural insights involved in enzyme activity or protein-protein interaction. The role played by the non-conserved N-terminal extension of LdTopIL in both relaxation activity and CPT sensitivity has been examined co-expressing the full-length LdTopIS and a fully active LdTopIΔS deletion with several deletions of LdTopIL lacking growing sequences of the N-terminal end. The sequential deletion study shows that the first 26 amino acids placed at the N-terminal end and a variable region comprised between Ala548 to end of the C-terminal extension of LdTopIL were enzymatically dispensable. Altogether this combinatorial approach provides important structural insights of the regions involved in relaxation activity and for understanding the atypical structure of this heterodimeric enzyme