Isolation of a New Natural Product and Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activities of Extracts from Fungi of Indonesian Marine Habitats

In the search for bioactive compounds, 11 fungal strains were isolated from Indonesian marine habitats. Ethyl acetate extracts of their culture broth were tested for cytotoxic activity against a urinary bladder carcinoma cell line and for antifungal and antibacterial activities against fish and human pathogenic bacteria as well as against plant and human pathogenic fungi. The crude extract of a sterile algicolous fungus (KT31), isolated from the red seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty ex P.C. Silva exhibited potent cytotoxic activity with an IC50 value of 1.5 μg/mL. Another fungal strain (KT29) displayed fungicidal properties against the plant pathogenic fungus Cladosporium cucumerinum Ell. et Arth. at 50 μg/spot. 2-Carboxy-8-methoxy-naphthalene-1-ol (1) could be isolated as a new natural product

Abandoning Narratives of Music and Prose. Arnold Schönberg and James Joyce.. Sprachkunst. Beiträge zur Literaturwissenschaft|Sprachkunst XLIX / 2018, 2. Halbband|

Das Werk dieser beiden ‚Leuchttürme‘ der Moderne weist zahlreiche Ähnlichkeiten auf: Sie verabschieden das persönliche und mimetische Erzählen bzw. die klassische Funktionsharmonik; mit Hilfe rationaler Konstruktion aufgrund struktureller Vorgaben wie der Zwölftonreihen und der Gilbert und Linati Schemata messen sie systematisch Möglichkeitsräume aus; Schönbergs Konzept der Emanzipation der Dissonanz und die höchst artifizielle Sprache von ›Finnegans Wake‹ entgrenzen den Spielraum für die musikalische bzw. literarische Bedeutungszuweisung

Monitoring Cable Tensile Forces of Winch-Assist Harvester and Forwarder Operations in Steep Terrain

The objective of this case study was to develop and test a specific survey protocol for monitoring tensile forces for winch-assisted harvesters and forwarders with a mounted or integrated constant-pull capstan winch technology. Based on the designed survey protocol, the interactions between work phases, machine inclination, and tensile forces in typical work conditions were analysed. The established workflow, including equipment and the developed analysis routines, worked appropriately and smoothly. The working load on the cable during the study did not exceed 50% of the maximum breaking strength. A maximum tensile force peak at 56 kN was observed during delays for the forwarder, and a peak of 75.5 kN was observed for the harvester, both of which are still within the safe working load when considering a safety factor of two

Mosquitoes from Europe Are Able to Transmit Snowshoe Hare Virus

Snowshoe hare virus (SSHV) is a zoonotic arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) circulating in colder areas of the Northern Hemisphere. SSHV is maintained in an enzootic cycle between small mammals and mosquitoes, assumably of the genera Aedes and Culiseta. Symptoms of SSHV human infection can range from asymptomatic to severe neuroinvasive disease. Studies on SSHV transmission are limited, and there is no information available on whether mosquitoes of the genus Culex are able to transmit SSHV. Therefore, we investigated six mosquito species via salivation assay for their vector competence. We demonstrated that SSHV can be transmitted by the abundant European Culex species Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens, Cx. pipiens biotype molestus, and Cx. torrentium with low transmission efficiency between 3.33% and 6.67%. Additionally, the invasive species Ae. albopictus can also transmit SSHV with a low transmission efficiency of 3.33%. Our results suggest that local transmission of SSHV after introduction to Europe seems to be possible from a vector perspective

Parameter Estimation Strategies in Thermodynamics

Many thermodynamic models used in practice are at least partially empirical and thus require the determination of certain parameters using experimental data. However, due to the complexity of the models involved as well as the inhomogeneity of available data, a straightforward application of basic methods often does not yield a satisfactory result. This work compares three different strategies for the numerical solution of parameter estimation problems, including errors both in the input and in the output variables. Additionally, the new idea to apply multi-criteria optimization techniques to parameter estimation problems is presented. Finally, strategies for the estimation and propagation of the model errors are discussed

The Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study (COPS): the scientific strategy, the field phase, and research highlights

Within the framework of the international field campaign COPS (Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study), a large suite of state-of-the-art meteorological instrumentation was operated, partially combined for the first time. This includes networks of in situ and remote-sensing systems such as the Global Positioning System as well as a synergy of multi-wavelength passive and active remote-sensing instruments such as advanced radar and lidar systems. The COPS field phase was performed from 01 June to 31 August 2007 in a low-mountain area in southwestern Germany/eastern France covering the Vosges mountains, the Rhine valley and the Black Forest mountains. The collected data set covers the entire evolution of convective precipitation events in complex terrain from their initiation, to their development and mature phase until their decay. Eighteen Intensive Observation Periods with 37 operation days and eight additional Special Observation Periods were performed, providing a comprehensive data set covering different forcing conditions. In this article, an overview of the COPS scientific strategy, the field phase, and its first accomplishments is given. Highlights of the campaign are illustrated with several measurement examples. It is demonstrated that COPS research provides new insight into key processes leading to convection initiation and to the modification of precipitation by orography, in the improvement of quantitative precipitation forecasting by the assimilation of new observations, and in the performance of ensembles of convection-permitting models in complex terrain

Loss of HLA-DR expression and immunoblastic morphology predict adverse outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma – analyses of cases from two prospective randomized clinical trials

The evaluation of biomarkers as prognostic factors in lymphomas requires studies in the context of well designed clinical trials. In this study, the authors show the predictive value of immunoblastic morphology and loss of HLA-DR but not the cell of origin immunohistochemical classification in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated in large clinical trials