Volatile Emissions from Aesculus hippocastanum Induced by Mining of Larval Stages of Cameraria ohridella Influence Oviposition by Conspecific Females

Larval stages of the horse chestnut leafminer Cameraria ohridella can completely destroy the surface of horse chestnut leaves, Aesculus hippocastanum. This study investigated the effect of the degree of leaf browning caused by the insect’s larvae on olfactory detection, aggregation, and oviposition of C. ohridella adults. The influence of A. hippocastanum flower scent on oviposition of the first generation was also evaluated. Utilizing gas chromatography coupled with parallel detection by mass spectrometry and electroantennography (GC-MS/EAD), more than 30 compounds eliciting responses from antennae of C. ohridella were detected. Oviposition and mining by C. ohridella caused significant changes in the profile of leaf volatiles of A. hippocastanum. After oviposition and subsequent mining by early larval stages (L1–L3), substances such as benzaldehyde, 1,8-cineole, benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, methyl salicylate, (E)-β-caryophyllene, and (E,E)-α-farnesene were emitted in addition to the compounds emitted by uninfested leaves. Insects were able to detect these compounds. The emitted amount of these substances increased with progressive larval development. During late larval stages (L4, L5) and severe loss of green leaf area, (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal, (E/Z)-linalool oxide (furanoid), nonanal, and decanal were also released by leaves. These alterations of the profile of volatiles caused modifications in aggregation of C. ohridella on leaves. In choice tests, leaves in early infestation stages showed no significant effect on aggregation, whereas insects avoided leaves in late infestation stages. Further choice tests with leaves treated with single compounds led to the identification of substances mediating an increase or decrease in oviposition.     

Methodology for Efficiency Measurements of Electrically Small Monopoles for Animal Tracking

For tracking purposes, small migratory birds are outfitted with antennas and transmitters so that their daily movements and migration patterns can be observed. In order to improve the practice of tracking wildlife and to extend the ranges over which animals can be tracked, it is necessary to characterize and fully exploit the parameters of the antennas being attached to animals. These birds provide a challenging opportunity to study the antennas used in wildlife tracking because of their small size (~15 cm in length) and light weight (averaging 26 g). For the first time, the present study provides a measurement methodology that can be used to estimate the efficiency of an electrically small antenna mounted to an approximate bird model, utilizing the Wheeler cap method. Because the antenna is less than one-eighth of a wavelength long and does not have a well-defined ground plane, measurement techniques are carefully considered and carried out. The results indicate that the bird model acts as a lossy ground plane for the transmitting monopole antenna. The radiating efficiency of the antenna-bird model system is conditioned by the size of the antenna as well as the effective resistance of the bird model. New recommendations for antenna and tracking-system design are provided, based on this investigation.     

Evaluation of pathways for washing soluble solids

Filter cake washing is a purification method for particulate products in liquids. This process is mostly one step of a sequence in a solid–liquid separation process. For soluble products not only the mechanical transport mechanisms in washing but also the dissolution process of the product must be considered in order to describe the washing process appropriately. An unconsidered dissolution may cause problems and often severe product loss depending on the material properties. This paper presents several methods of soluble solids washing including filter cake washing by pressure and centrifugal forces as well as moving bed washing. The advantages and drawbacks of each method are discussed to evaluate the suitability of its technical application.     

Rissbildung von biegebeanspruchten Bauteilen aus Ultrahochfestem Faserbeton

Das Konstruieren und Bemessen von Bauwerken aus faserbewehrtem UHPC erfordert sehr detailliertes Wissen über das Zugtragverhalten von Faserbeton. Es ist beeinflusst von der Fasergeometrie, der Fasermenge, der Schubverbundfestigkeit zwischen Faser und Matrix, der Matrixfestigkeit, dem Schwinden und der Faserorientierung. Leutbecher beschreibt ein Modell für reine Zugbeanspruchungen, indem all diese Parameter Eingang finden. Im hier vorliegenden Artikel wird dieses Modell für Biegebeanspruchungen erweitert und anhand von Biegeversuchen an Platten aus UHPC verifiziert. Dabei werden sowohl Faserbewehrung als auch konventionelle Stabbewehrung berücksichtigt. Crack Formation of Flexural Members made of UHPFRC For the design and planning of buildings made of fibre reinforced ultra high performance concrete one needs very detailed knowhow about the tensile carrying behaviour of fibrated concrete. It is affected by various parameters such as the fibre geometry, the content of fibres, the bond strength between fibre and binder matrix, the strength of the matrix, the shrinkage of the concrete and the orientation of the fibres. All these parameters are considered in a theoretical model for UHPFRC under tension (Leutbecher). In the paper presented here the range of validity of this model is extended to bending stress. Experimental investigations on UHPC‐plates under bending complete and verify the theoretical results. The tests cover fibre reinforcement as well as conventional passive reinforcement.     

Stiftförmige Verbindungsmittel des Holzbaus im Normenvergleich

Bei der Bemessung stiftförmiger Verbindungsmittel des Holzbaus gab es im Zuge der Umstellung auf eine neue Normengeneration einen Paradigmenwechsel. Für das einzelne Verbindungsmittel muss eine ganze Reihe von Nachweisen auf der Grundlage einer deutlich verfeinerten Versagenstheorie geführt werden. Zudem wird das Zusammenwirken mehrerer Verbindungsmittel an einem Knotenpunkt mit wesentlich größeren Reduktionsfaktoren belegt, als dies bisher der Fall war. Dowel type fasteners for timber construction in comparison of design codes. The change to new design codes for timber constructions led to a paradigm shift in the dimensioning of dowel type fasteners. For the single fastener a series of regulations have to be obeyed on a basis of a much more detailed theory of failure. In addition to this the interaction of fasteners in a joint is backed with much higher reduction factors than before.     

Synthesis,Inhibition Potency,Binding Mode,and Antiprotozoal Activities of Fluorescent Inhibitors of Trypanothione Reductase Based on Mepacrine‐Conjugated Diaryl Sulfide Scaffolds

Trypanothione reductase (TR) is a flavoenzyme unique to trypanosomatid parasites and a target for lead discovery programs. Various inhibitor scaffolds have emerged in the past, exhibiting moderate affinity for the parasite enzyme. Herein we show that the combination of two structural motifs of known TR inhibitors — diaryl sulfides and mepacrine — enables the simultaneous addressing of two hydrophobic patches in the active site. The binding efficacy of these conjugates is enhanced over that of the respective parent inhibitors. They show K_ic values for the parasite enzyme down to 0.9±0.1 μm and exhibit high selectivity for TR over human glutathione reductase (GR). Despite their considerable molecular mass and in some cases permanent positive charges, in vitro studies revealed IC₅₀ values in the low micromolar to sub‐micromolar range against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma cruzi, as well as the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which lack trypanothione metabolism. The inhibitors exhibit strong fluorescence due to their aminoacridine moiety. This feature allows visualization of the drugs in the parasite where high accumulation was observed by fluorescence microscopy even after short exposure times.     

CD73 Overexpression in Podocytes: A Novel Marker of Podocyte Injury in Human Kidney Disease

The CD73 pathway is an important anti-inflammatory mechanism in various disease settings. Observations in mouse models suggested that CD73 might have a protective role in kidney damage; however, no direct evidence of its role in human kidney disease has been described to date. Here, we hypothesized that podocyte injury in human kidney diseases alters CD73 expression that may facilitate the diagnosis of podocytopathies. We assessed the expression of CD73 and one of its functionally important targets, the C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2), in podocytes from kidney biopsies of 39 patients with podocytopathy (including focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), minimal change disease (MCD), membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) and amyloidosis) and a control group. Podocyte CD73 expression in each of the disease groups was significantly increased in comparison to controls (p < 0.001–p < 0.0001). Moreover, there was a marked negative correlation between CD73 and CCR2 expression, as confirmed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence (Pearson r = −0.5068, p = 0.0031; Pearson r = −0.4705, p = 0.0313, respectively), thus suggesting a protective role of CD73 in kidney injury. Finally, we identify CD73 as a novel potential diagnostic marker of human podocytopathies, particularly of MCD that has been notorious for the lack of pathological features recognizable by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry.     

A comprehensive approach to the analysis of contrast enhanced cardiac MR images

Current magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology allows the determination of patient-individual coronary tree structure, detection of infarctions, and assessment of myocardial perfusion. Joint inspection of these three aspects yields valuable information for therapy planning, e.g., through classification of myocardium into healthy tissue, regions showing a reversible hypoperfusion, and infarction with additional information on the corresponding supplying artery. Standard imaging protocols normally provide image data with different orientations, resolutions and coverages for each of the three aspects, which makes a direct comparison of analysis results difficult. The purpose of this work is to develop methods for the alignment and combined analysis of these images. The proposed approach is applied to 21 datasets of healthy and diseased patients from the clinical routine. The evaluation shows that, despite limitations due to typical MRI artifacts, combined inspection is feasible and can yield clinically useful information.