Diversity of Lecidea (Lecideaceae, Ascomycota) species revealed by molecular data and morphological characters

The diversity of lichens, especially crustose species, in continental Antarctica is still poorly known. To overcome difficulties with the morphology based species delimitations in these groups, we employed molecular data (nuclear ITS and mitochondrial SSU rDNA sequences) to test species boundaries within the genus Lecidea. Sampling was done along a north–south transect at five different areas in the Ross Sea region (Cape Hallett, Botany Bay to Mount Suess, Taylor Valley, Darwin Area and Mount Kyffin). A total of 153 specimens were collected from 13 localities. Phylogenetic analyses also include specimens from other regions in Antarctica and non-Antarctic areas. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses agreed in placing the samples from continental Antarctica into four major groups. Based on this phylogenetic estimate, we restudied the micromorphology and secondary chemistry of these four clades to evaluate the use of these characters as phylogenetic discriminators. These clades are identified as the following species Lecidea cancriformis, L. andersonii as well as the new species L. polypycnidophora Ruprecht & Türk sp. nov. and another previously unnamed clade of uncertain status, referred to as Lecidea sp. (L. UCR1)

Entwicklung einer neuen Methode zur thermisch unterstützten photo-elektrochemischen Energiewandlung

Abweichender Titel nach Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des VerfassersZusammenfassung in deutscher SpracheSolar energy driven water-splitting combines several attractive features for energy utilization. Concentrated solar radiation represents the energy source for such process. It is readily available and is supremely renewable. Water is used as base stock. The resultant fuel (generated hydrogen) and the emissions with fuel consumption (water steam) are environmentally benign. The present work is about a new approach for the energy conversion using short wave-length (UV-vis) radiation. Here, the water splitting process follows a photo-electrochemical reaction regime assisted by a thermochemical reaction. One option for electrochemical hydrogen production is high-temperature steam electrolysis. The electrical power necessary for such electrochemical process can be provided by conventional conversions methods (fossil and nuclear power plants) or by renewable energy sources (hydrodynamic, sun, wind). Alternative technologies for producing hydrogen in a single set-up are still under research and/or development: Thermochemical water splitting based on oxides at two different temperatures and photo-electrochemical water splitting using photoactive electrodes. Despite huge research efforts, efficiencies of photo-electrochemical cells are still far below those of established technologies and the best photo-anodes (from an efficiency point of view) often suffer from degradation in aqueous solutions. For further developing one-cell based devices, very new and innovative ways have to be paved. It is the goal of this thesis to perform basic research on mixed conducting metal oxides, generating fundamental knowledge necessary for realizing high-temperature (350-500 °C) photo-electrochemical water splitting in a solid electrolyte based cell; named Solid Oxid Photo-Electrochemical Cell (SOPEC). Advantages are: i) avoidance of stability problems of electrodes in aqueous water, ii) lowering the theoretical water splitting voltage, iii) the possibility for producing hydrogen already at pressures lower than ambient pressure, iv) avoiding additional bias voltages and v) enabling formation of synthesis gas and thus reactions to hydrocarbons in the same cell due to high cell operation temperatures. The entire SOPEC consists of a high-temperature photovoltaic (HT-PV) part and an electrochemical cell part. Under short-wave radiation (UV light), this driving force is used in the electrochemical part of the cell to pump oxygen from low to high partial pressures. The experiments demonstrate the feasibility of high-temperature photo-electrochemical cells for solar energy storage. This ambitious thesis is therefore basic research with an applied focus, namely the long term goal of solar fuel production. It may initialize a new technology for chemical energy conversion in combination with materials research at so far unknown combinations of materials.Die Wasserzerlegung mittels Solarstrahlung stellt eine vielversprechende Methode zur Energiespeicherung dar. Als Energiequelle für einen derartigen Prozess dient konzentrierte Solarstrahlung. Diese ist uneingeschränkt verfügbar und im höchsten Maße erneuerbar. Wasser(-dampf) dient hierbei als Ausgangsstoff. Der daraus gewonnene Kraftstoff (z.B. Wasserstoff), und die bei dessen Umwandlung (Verbrennung) entstehenden Emissionen (Wasserdampf) sind im hohen Grad umweltverträglich. Die vorliegende Arbeit widmet sich einem grundlegend neuen Ansatz zur Umwandlung von kurzwelliger (UV-) Strahlung in chemische Energie. Die Energieumwandlung (bspw. die Wasserzerlegung) erfolgt photo-elektrochemisch in einem thermisch aktivierten Zustand. Ein bewährtes Verfahren zur Produktion von Wasserstoff ist die Hochtemperatur-Wasserdampfelektrolyse. Die benötigte elektrische Energie für diesen Elektrolyse-prozess kann einerseits mit konventionellen Kraftwerken (fossil, Kernkraft) oder mit erneuerbaren Methoden (Wasserkraft, Sonne, Wind) generiert werden. Alternative Methoden zur Produktion von solarem Wasserstoff befinden sich derzeit noch im Stand der (Grundlagen-)Forschung: zwei- oder mehrstufige thermochemische Wasserzerlegung basierend auf Metalloxiden und die Photoelektrolyse nahe bei Raumtemperatur, unter der Verwendung photoaktiver Elektroden. Trotz intensiver wissenschaftlicher Anstrengungen im Bereich der photo-elektrochemischen Zellen (kurz: PEC) liegen die erzielten Wirkungsgrade bislang noch immer deutlich unterhalb jener von bereits etablierten Technologien. Ein Vertreter einer solchen Technologie ist: Photovoltaik & Elektrolyse. Materialchemische Aspekte, wie die Stabilität, etc. zählen hier zu den Herausforderungen. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit beruht auf dem Erarbeiten von neuem Grundlagenwissen zur Realisierung einer thermisch aktivierten, photo-elektrochemischen Energieumwandlung. Realisiert findet sich dieser neuartige Ansatz in einer Solid Oxid Photo-Electrochemical Cell (kurz: SOPEC). Die Vorteile hier sind: i) Vermeidung von Stabilitätsproblemen des Elektrodenmaterials in wässriger Umgebung, ii) Herabsetzen der theoretischen Wasserzerlegungsspannung, iii) die Möglichkeit der Produktion von Wasserstoff bei Drücken unterhalb des Umgebungsdrucks, iv) die Vermeidung zusätzlicher Elektrolysespannung und v) die Bildung von Synthesegas. Die unter kurzwelliger Strahlung (UV-Licht) generierte Spannung (und Strom) führt letztlich dazu, Sauerstoff durch die Zelle elektrochemisch bei Temperaturen von 400-500°C zu pumpen. Als ambitioniertes Ziel galt es die Möglichkeit der thermisch aktivierten, photo-elektrochemischen Energieumwandlung, basierend Mischmetalloxiden zu beweisen.11

Bilanzierung von Bitcoins nach IAS/IFRS und Auswirkungen auf den Ausweis latenter Steuern

eingereicht von Georg Maria BrunauerLiteraturverzeichnis: Blatt 96-102Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg, Masterarbeit, 2019(VLID)505471

Yeast Propagation Control: Low Frequency Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy as an Alternative for Cell Counting Chambers in Brewery Applications

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is a powerful tool in life science for cell and pathogen detection, as well as for cell counting. The measurement principles and techniques using impedance spectroscopy are highly diverse. Differences can be found in used frequency range (β or α regime), analyzed quantities, like charge transfer resistance, dielectric permittivity of double layer capacitance and in off- or online usage. In recent contributions, applications of low-frequency impedance spectroscopy in the α regime were tested for determination of cell counts and metabolic burden in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The established easy to use methods showed reasonable potential in the lab scale, especially for S. cerevisiae. However, until now, measurements for cell counts in food science are generally based on Thoma cell counting chambers. These microscopic cell counting methods decelerate an easy and quick prediction of yeast viability, as they are labor intensive and result in a time delayed response signal. In this contribution we tested our developed method using low frequency impedance spectroscopy locally at an industrial brewery propagation site and compared results to classic cell counting procedures

A case report: Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as an Al-ternative for cell counting chambers of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for brewery applications

Advanced technologies, such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), are a valuable tool which can enhance and simplify the industrial process monitoring if used correctly. State-of-the-art approaches for screening the cell growth of for example yeast during the brewing process still heavily rely on offline methods such as methylene blue or florescence dye-based staining, and/or the usage of flow cytometric measurements. These methods, while being accurate, are very time consuming and require heavy manual effort. Furthermore, the time span needed to obtain the counting result can lead to a time-delayed response signal and can impact the quality of the final product. In recent studies, applications of low-frequency EIS in the α-regime were used for the determination of cell counts and the metabolic state in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This method has proven to be a reliable tool which has also shown high potential in industrial scale applications. The online biomass monitoring, as well as viable cell count, for feasibility study was performed in-house at Stiegl Brewery in Salzburg/Austria founded in 1492

Low-Frequency Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy as a Monitoring Tool for Yeast Growth in Industrial Brewing Processes

Today’s yeast total biomass and viability measurements during the brewing process are dependent on offline methods such as methylene blue or florescence dye-based staining, and/or the usage of flow cytometric measurements. Additionally, microscopic cell counting methods decelerate an easy and quick prediction of yeast viability. These processes are time consuming and result in a time-delayed response signal, which not only reduces the knowledge of the performance of the yeast itself, but also impacts the quality of the final product. Novel approaches in process monitoring during the aerobic and anaerobic fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are not only limited to classical pH, dO2 and off-gas analysis, but they also use different in situ and online sensors based on different physical principles to determine the biomass, product quality and cell death. Within this contribution, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to monitor the biomass produced in aerobic and anaerobic batch cultivation approaches, simulating the propagation and fermentation unit operation of industrial brewing processes. Increases in the double-layer capacitance (CDL), determined at frequencies below 1 kHz, were proportional to the increase of biomass in the batch, which was monitored in the online and inline mode. A good correlation of CDL with the cell density was found. In order to prove the robustness and flexibility of this novel method, different state-of-the-art biomass measurements (dry cell weight—DCW and optical density—OD) were performed for comparison. Because measurements in this frequency range are largely determined by the double-layer region between the electrode and media, rather minor interferences with process parameters (aeration and stirring) were to be expected. It is shown that impedance spectroscopy at low frequencies is not only a powerful tool for the monitoring of viable yeast cell concentrations during operation, but it is also perfectly suited to determining physiological states of the cells, and may facilitate biomass monitoring in the brewing and yeast-propagating industry drastically

A Data Classifier Based on Maximum Likelihood Evidential Reasoning Rule

In Dempster–Shafer evidence theory (DST), some classical evidence combination rules can be used to fuse the multiple pieces of evidence, respectively abstracted from different attributes (features) so as to increase the accuracy of multiattribute classification decision making. However, most of them have not yet considered the interdependence among multiple pieces of evidence. The newly proposed maximum likelihood evidential reasoning (MAKER) rule measures such ubiquitous interdependence by introducing correlation factors into evidence combination. Hence, this paper designs a MAKER-based classifier to mine more correlation information for data classification. Finally, some numerical analysis (classification) experiments are carried out using five popular benchmark databases from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) to illustrate that the refined measure for evidence interdependence can aggregate the fused probability (belief degree) into real class label of a sample and further improve classification accuracy