Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Studies of Novel Organoantimony(V) Cyanoximates

The requirement of new antimicrobial treatments has become an urgent field recently. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria are now resistant to common antibiotics. To antagonize such bacteria 8 novel organoantimony(V) cyanoximates were synthesized to be characterized and submitted for biological activity studies. Eight organoantimony(V) cyanoximates were characterized by elemental analysis, thermal analysis, IR-, 13C{1H} NMR, some with UV-visible spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray analysis. Antimicrobial Disk studies indicated Sb(Ph)4(ACO) and Sb(Ph)4(ECO) had significant antimicrobial effect against all three strains: two gram-negative a) Escherichia coli strain S17 and b) Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1, alongside a single gram-positive Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain NRS70. Sb(Ph)4(TCO) and Sb(Ph)4(TDCO) had significant effects against gram- positive Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain NRS70, but essentially no antimicrobial activity for gram-negative strains used. Antimicrobial broth dilution MIC assays were completed against the same strains as antimicrobial disk studies but changed the compounds tested. Using Sb(Ph)4(MCO) as the only Sb(V) cyanoximate along with free cyanoximes H(MCO), H(ECO), and Na[H(ACO)2]. Results indicated free cyanoximes have no antimicrobial effect as the DMSO solvent used in these assays contributed to the inhibition factor to the MIC of the cell cultures. Antifungal disk assays concluded that Sb(Ph)4(ECO) was effective against Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. Sb(Ph)4(TCO) followed in antifungal activity against both strains. Sb(Ph)4(ACO) and Sb(Ph)4(TDCO) were only effective at inhibition of Cryptococcus neoformans. Antifungal MIC assays were conducted and concluded that the free cyanoximes had zero effect on antifungal activity against both fungi. Sb(Ph)4(MCO) had shown MIC levels ranging from 10 - 50 μg/mL

Touch-controlled panoramic video streaming for film directing

This paper describes the initial development of Stageview, an hardware and software infrastructure for real-time 360o video streaming in support of video production. The system, designed to deliver an auxiliary panoramic video source to film directors, offers an interactive and comprehensive view of the stage surpassing the limit of the operator’s camera frame. In relation to traditional video production this implies a certain margin of innovation: streaming technologies allow, in fact, a new form of remote direction that can trans- form the traditional construction of a film, because actors and operators in different locations can be simultaneously controlled by the director through an Internet connection, whereas before the entire troupe had to share the same physical space. Moreover this video stream, intended as an addition to the main footage, including both the scene of the fiction and the set constructing this fiction in one signal, records what cinema - and more in general television, always tried to hide, breaking the membrane that separates object perceived and subject perceiving, in other words fracturing the classical narrative dominated by the point of view. Technical issues, current standards, objectives and decisions are discussed throughout the paper, while creative potential and future perspectives are outlined in the last part and the conclusions

Algal priming mediates the effects of light and nutrients on organic matter processing: insights from artificial and natural streams

Environmental factors such as light and nutrients may play important roles in determining detrital decomposition through their effects on primary production. Thus, human activities that alter the availabilities of light and nutrients may have direct consequences on organic matter (OM) processing and nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystems. I compared heterotrophic function (OM processing and respiration) between two P levels (5 µg P L-1 and 51 µg P L-1) and two shade levels (0% and 80% shade) in natural streams, as well as 3 P levels (10 µg P L-1, 50 µg P L-1 and 100 µg P L-1) and 4 shade levels (0%, 50%, 80% and 100%) in artificial streams using the cotton-strip assay (CSA). Data from these experiments show a negative association between algal abundance (GPP and chlorophyll a) and recalcitrant OM (ROM) processing, implying a negative priming effect. Light was an important driver of negative priming which disproportionately affected ROM decomposition at lower P treatments over time. Overall, there were limited interactive effects between light and nutrient availability; rather, ROM processing was positively associated with P availability at all light levels while it was negatively associated with light availability at all P levels. There was no evidence to support positive priming (i.e., algal stimulation of ROM processing) in either experiment. Overall, results from this study illustrate the importance of considering light levels and nutrient availability when considering long term C and nutrient budgets in freshwater ecosystems

Local perceptions of the relative contributions of enclave tourism and agritourism to community well-being: The case of Mauritius

To date, limited attention has been paid to the contribution of tourism to the well-being of island residents in general and to whether such well-being varies according to the nature of tourism development in particular. Specifically, island tourism is frequently manifested in resort-based enclave development, a form of tourism that is often criticised for its assumed limited benefits to the wider community. As a consequence, alternative approaches such as agritourism, are increasingly proposed as a means of enhancing community development and well-being yet the relative merits of enclave and agritourism have not been explored within an island tourism context. This paper addresses this notable gap in the literature. Drawing on a questionnaire-based survey in Mauritius, it considers and compares the perceptions of local people of the extent to which enclave tourism and agritourism contribute to their well-being. The results reveal that both types of tourism development contribute both positively and negatively to community well-being although enclave tourism is perceived to have fewer positive outcomes. On the one hand, enclave tourism provides valuable cultural opportunities but damages the environment, restricts entrepreneurship and favours local elites; on the other hand, agritourism, although not yet well-established in Mauritius, is perceived to positively enhance the cultural and social spheres of community life whilst supporting entrepreneurship

Kulturtraditionen der Osterinsulaner und ihre Christianisierung (Review)

Kulturtraditionen der Osterinsulaner und ihre Christianisierung. Huppertz, Josefine. 1994. 1. Huppertz: Sankt Augustin. DM 44.00. 115 pages, plus index of names, references. Color prints, b & w illustrations, map, tables. Review by Regina Pinks-Freybott</p

Effects of risk and protective factors on maltreatment for individuals with intellectual disability, The

Includes bibliographical references.2022 Fall.Research consistently demonstrates that children with intellectual disability (ID) are at a higher risk for child maltreatment than typically developing children. While the relationship between child maltreatment and disability is well-established, no longitudinal studies have assessed families of children with ID for early risk and protective factors associated with later maltreatment. This study drew on data from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) to examine children with ID in five samples across the U.S. who were at risk for abuse and neglect at an early age. The relationship between early risk and protective factors and maltreatment was explored through a series of regression analyses for children with and without ID. Results replicated the finding that children with ID experienced higher counts of child maltreatment than children without ID. Child behavior problems predicted later maltreatment counts for children with ID and without ID, and parenting stress predicted maltreatment only for children without ID. The findings indicate that at least some of the processes involved in child maltreatment are the same for children with and without ID, including child behavior problems. Future research should be devoted to better understanding why children with ID are more likely to experience maltreatment and higher counts of maltreatment allegations compared to children without ID

Non-Antibiotic Antimony-Based Antimicrobials

A series of the eight novel organoantimony(V) cyanoximates of Sb(C6H5)4L composition was synthesized using the high-yield heterogeneous metathesis reaction between solid AgL (or TlL) and Sb(C6H5)4Br in CH3CN at room temperature. Cyanoximes L were specially selected from a large group of 48 known compounds of this subclass of oximes on the basis of their water solubility and history of prior biological activity. The synthesized compounds are well soluble in organic solvents and were studied using a variety of conventional spectroscopic and physical methods. The crystal structures of all reported organometallic compounds were determined and revealed the formation of the distorted trigonal bipyramidal environment of the Sb atom and monodentate axial binding of acido-ligands via the O atom of the oxime group. The compounds are thermally stable in the solid state and in solution molecular compounds. For the first time, this specially designed series of organoantimony(V) compounds is investigated as potential non-antibiotic antimicrobial agents against three bacterial and two fungal human pathogens known for their increasing antimicrobial resistance. Bacterial pathogens included Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Fungal pathogens included Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. The cyanoximates alone showed no antimicrobial impact, and the incorporation of the SbPh4 group enabled the antimicrobial effect. Overall, the new antimony compounds showed a strong potential as both broad- and narrow-spectrum antimicrobials against selected bacterial and fundal pathogens and provide insights for further synthetic modifications of the compounds to increase their activities