bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological Action of Plant Extracts on a Fungal Plant Biostimulant Strain of Trichoderma Viride
Authors: Şesan Tatiana Eugenia , Enache Elena , Iacomi Beatrice Michaela , Oprea Maria , Oancea Florin , Iacomi Cristian
Published: January 2016

The antifungal activity of nine plant extracts manufactured by Hofigal Import Export S.A. Romania against the biocontrol fungal agent Trichoderma viride Pers. (isolate Tv 82) was assessed in vitro for the first time in Romania. In general, the development (mycelial growth and sporulation) was not inhibited by the six plant extracts (Satureja hortensis, Achillea millefolium, Allium sativum, Mentha sp., Hyssopus officinalis, Artemisia dracunculus 'Sativa'), with three exceptions (Rosmarinus officinalis, Valeriana officinalis, Tagetes patula), applied in a concentration of 20%. Among these, the extract of Tagetes patula has inhibited the Tv 82 development, applied as lower concentrations (10% and 5%), efficacy being 54.3% and 50%, respectively. In addition, the tested plant extracts of Satureja hortensis, Achillea millefolium, Mentha sp. proved stimulative effect on Tv 82 development. This approach add to the early studies on the selectivity of Trichoderma spp. to chemicals used in plant protection, new data referring to the use of antagonistic fungi, like Trichoderma spp., as a protective mean against phytopathogens. Also, these data sustain the possibility of applying plant extracts as an alternative in plant protection or to apply together chemical (pesticides) and biological means (plant extracts) especially to protect ecological crops, as vegetables, medicinal plants a.o.
A suggestion for royal jelly specifications / Prijedlog globalnih standarda za matičnu mliječ
Authors: Kanelis Dimitrios , Tananaki Chrysoula , Liolios Vasilis , Dimou Maria , Goras Georgios , Rodopoulou Maria Anna , Karazafiris Emmanuel , Thrasyvoulou Andreas
Published: January 2016

This article proposes guidelines for quality standards of royal jelly. The proposals are based on two sets of data; the first from our study of the factors that may affect the royal jelly’s chemical composition (protein and sugar supplementation of beehives) and the second on the analysis of a great number of samples from across Greece to establish natural variability of this product. We compared our findings with the adopted national limits, the proposals of the working group of the International Honey Commission (IHC), and the draft proposal of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO). The studied parameters included moisture, total proteins, sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose, total sugars), and 10-hydroxy- 2-decenoic acid (10-HDA). Our results indicate that the limits for royal jelly in some countries should be amended and the proposals of the IHC and the ISO reviewed in view of recent data on variability. We believe that our proposals could be considered for setting global standards for royal jelly, as they incorporate national legislations, proposals of scientific groups, experimental data, and updated information.
Translation of in vitro to in vivo pyridinium oxime potential in tabun poisoning / Translacija učinkovitosti piridinijevih oksima kod trovanja tabunom iz in vitro sustava u in vivo primjenu
Authors: Katalinić Maja , Maček Hrvat Nikolina , Žďárová Karasová Jana , Misik Jan , Kovarik Zrinka
Published: January 2016

Even if organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents were banned entirely, their presence would remain a problem as weapons of terror (like in Syria). Oxime antidotes currently used in medical practice still fall short of their therapeutic purpose, as they fail to fully restore the activity of cholinesterases, the main target for OPs. As orphan drugs, these antidotes are tested too seldom for anybody’s benefit. Over the last few decades, search for improved reactivators has reached new levels, but the translation of data obtained in vitro to in vivo application is still a problem that hinders efficient therapy. In this study, we tested the strengths and weaknesses of extrapolating pyridinium oxime antidotes reactivation efficiency from in vitro to in vivo application. Our results show that this extrapolation is possible with well-determined kinetic constants, but that it also largely depends on oxime circulation time and its tissue-specific distribution. This suggests that pharmacokinetic studies should be planned at the early stages of antidote development. Special attention should also be given to improving oxime distribution throughout the organism to overcome this major constraint in improving overall OP therapy.
Herd-level seroprevalence of Neospora caninum infection in dairy cattle in central and northeastern Poland
Authors: Kowalczyk Sławomir J. , Czopowicz Michał , Weber Corinna N. , Müller Elisabeth , Witkowski Lucjan , Kaba Jarosław
Published: January 2016

A serosurvey was carried out to estimate the herd-level seroprevalence of Neospora caninum infection in cattle in central and northeastern Poland. Ninety seven dairy cattle herds from 2 provinces of Poland (Podlaskie, 47 herds and Łodzkie, 50 herds) were randomly enrolled in the study using two-stage cluster method. A simple random selection was applied within each herd to select a sample of adult cows (≥18 month-old). A total number of 734 cows were enrolled in the study. The animals were screened with a commercial competitive ELISA (Bio-X Diagnostics, Belgium). To calculate true herd-level seroprevalence test sensitivity and specificity were adjusted from an individual- to a herd-level using FreeCalc method. The true overall herd-level seroprevalence of N. caninum infection was 56.7% (95% CI: 47.5%, 65.9%). The true herd-level seroprevalence in Podlaskie was 63.3% (95% CI: 43.0%, 83.6%) and 50.5% (95% CI: 32.8%, 68.2%) in Łodzkie province and these figures did not differ significantly between the two provinces (chi2 test p = 0.238). One hundred forty three of 734 cows (19.5%) were seropositive which gave the true overall individual-level seroprevalence of 20.1% (95% CI: 17.4%, 23.2%). Percentage of seropositive cows in each herd varied from 6% to 80%. This study is the first epidemiological investigation of herd-level seroprevalence of N. caninum infection in Polish dairy cattle population. In conclusion, the result of the study confirmed previous data that N. caninum infection is widespread in the Polish cattle population and thus should be considered as a potential cause of spontaneous abortions.
Expression analysis of viscerotropic leishmaniasis gene in Leishmania species by real-time RT-PCR
Authors: Nafchi Hossein Reisi , Kazemi-Rad Elham , Mohebali Mehdi , Raoofian Reza , Ahmadpour Niloofar Bavarsad , Oshaghi Mohammad Ali , Hajjaran Homa
Published: January 2016

Viscerotropic leishmaniasis (VTL) is a parasitic disease with non-specific manifestations caused by Leishmania tropica. Specific antigens produced by Viscerotropic leishmaniasis gene have been used for diagnosis of VTL. The aim of this study was to compare the expression level of VTL gene among the viscerotropic L. tropica isolates (n: 3) and visceral L. infantum isolates (n: 4). Also, the expression level was compared in L. tropica (n: 21) and L. major (n: 8) isolates, the main causes of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran by real time-RT-PCR. Results showed viscerotropic leishmaniasis gene was expressed in all 3 species; L. tropica, L. major and L. infantum. The most expression rate was in L. tropica and L. major as the cutaneous species and the lowest in visceral isolates including L. infantum and viscerotropic L. tropica strains respectively.

Conclusion: Results revealed that VTL gene can play an important role in visceralization process of L. tropica although there are other mechanisms to keep parasite visceralized. According to these primary results, increased the expression level of VTL gene probably could contribute to inhibit the invasive behavior of Leishmania parasites. However, more experimental researches are needed to confirm this idea.
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as a tool for identification of crude microbial extracts with anti-malarial potential
Authors: Sankarganesh P. , Joseph Baby
Published: January 2016

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is an indispensable tool for identifying biologically active functional groups in uncharacterized crude samples. Here, using FT-IR spectrum analysis, we identified crude extracts of Streptomyces that have anti-malarial activities and conducted a statistical analysis of their spectra. Among the three crude microbial extracts tested herein, an aromatic amine C-N stretching functional group was observed in the spectra of Streptomyces sp. BJSG1 and BJSG4 crude extracts. These extracts showed promising activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro cultures with IC
A 43 kDa recombinant plasmepsin elicits immune response in mice against Plasmodium berghei malaria
Authors: Pirta Chhaya , Sharma Nitya Nand , Banyal H.S.
Published: January 2016

Intraerythrocytic parasites degrade haemoglobin to make available nutrients for their growth and maturation. Plasmepsins, the aspartic proteases of Plasmodium play a significant role in haemoglobin degradation and are proposed as attractive drug targets. In the present study the gene which encodes plasmepsin in rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, was cloned and expressed. The gene was sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21DE3 and a recombinant plasmepsin of molecular weight 43 kDa was obtained. The sequence obtained was analysed and compared with plasmepsins of other Plasmodium spp. Mice immunized with the recombinant plasmepsin induced a strong humoral immune response. ELISA and IFA performed on the serum of immunized mice showed high antibody titres. Along with this, in vivo study exhibited partial protection against P. berghei infection suggesting role of plasmepsin in malaria control.
In search of a potential diagnostic tool for molecular characterization of lymphatic filariasis
Authors: Saeed Mohd , Adnan Mohd , Khan Saif , Al-Shammari Eyad , Mustafa Huma
Published: January 2016

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a chronic disease and is caused by the parasites Wuchereria bancrofti (W. bancrofti), Brugia malayi (B. malayi) and Brugia timori (B. timori). In the present study, Setaria cervi (S. cervi), a bovine filarial parasite has been used. Previously, it has been reported that the S. cervi shares some common proteins and antigenic determinants with that of human filarial parasite. The larval stages of filarial species usually cannot be identified by classical morphology. Hence, molecular characterization allows the identification of the parasites throughout all their developmental stages. The genomic DNA of S. cervi adult were isolated and estimated spectrophotometrically for the quantitative presence of DNA content. Screening of DNA sequences from filarial DNA GenBank and Expressed Sequence Tags (EST’s) were performed for homologous sequences and then multiple sequence alignment was executed. The conserved sequences from multiple sequence alignment were used for In Silico primer designing. The successfully designed primers were used further in PCR amplifications. Therefore, in search of a promising diagnostic tool few genes were identified to be conserved in the human and bovine filariasis and these novel primers deigned may help to develop a promising diagnostic tool for identification of lymphatic filariasis.
First report of Cystoisospora belli parasitemia in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
Authors: Velásquez Jorge Néstor , Risio Cecilia Alicia di , Etchart Cristina Beatriz , Chertcoff Agustín Víctor , Nigro Mónica Gabriela , Pantano María Laura , Ledesma Bibiana Alba , Vittar Natalia , Carnevale Silvana
Published: January 2016

Cystoisospora belli in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been described as cause of chronic diarrhea and disseminated cystoisosporosis. Diagnosis of intestinal cystoisosporosis can be achieved at the tissue level in the villus epithelium of the small bowel. Disseminated cystoisosporosis is diagnosed by microscopy identification of unizoite tissue cysts in the lamina propria of the intestine. We report a case of disseminated cystoisosporosis in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patient with detection of parasitemia. We studied a 39-year old patient with AIDS and chronic diarrhea by analysis of stool and duodenal biopsy samples. Blood samples were also collected and examined by light microscopy and molecular techniques for C. belli DNA detection. The unizoite tissue cyst stages were present in the lamina propria, with unsporulated oocysts in feces. Zoites were present in blood smears and DNA of C. belli was detected in blood samples. Our study identified a new stage in the life cycle of C. belli. Detection of parasitemia is a novel and noninvasive tool for diagnosis of disseminated cystoisosporosis.
The transstadial persistence of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in natural conditions
Authors: Karbowiak Grzegorz , Biernat Beata , Werszko Joanna , Rychlik Leszek
Published: January 2016

There are a number of reports regarding natural infection of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks with TBE virus; however, the transmission mode of TBE virus in this tick population has not been investigated. This study was conducted in Białowieża Primeval Forest, east Poland. Forty fully engorged nymphs of D. reticulatus were sampled from root voles (Microtus oeconomus). Ticks were kept until molting. All ticks were screened for the presence of TBE virus by nested RT-PCR. Three adult ticks were positive for infection with TBE virus. The present study for the first time demonstrates the possibility of transstadial mode of TBEV transmission in D. reticulatus ticks.
Micropropagation of Leuce-poplars and evaluation of their development under sandy site conditions in Hungary
Authors: Keserű Zsolt , Balla Ildikó , Antal Borbála , Rédei Károly
Published: January 2016

Leuce-poplars are a native stand-forming tree species throughout Hungary. Several species or selections of them are used as ornamental plants in parks or to line streets and highways. They cover approximately 4.0 per cent of the total forested area in Hungary (70000 ha). The white (grey) poplar belongs to the Leuce poplars and plays a significant role in sand fixation, regional forestation, and nature conservation. The National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Forest Research Institute or NARIC-FRI (formerly known as the Forest Research Institute) is involved in long-term breeding work for the selection of fast-growing white poplar trees under dry conditions. In vitro multiplication of trees is applied mainly to fruit growing trees in Hungary; in forestry research it is used primarily for selective breeding. This paper presents a short overview of the most important issues concerning the biotechnology of different Populus species, the related research on micropropagation trials, and the results of field investigations of micropropagated Leuce-poplar clone experiments.
Stability of generalized quadratic functional equation on a set of measure zero
Authors: Aribou Youssef , Dimou Hajira , Chahbi Abdellatif , Kabbaj Samir
Published: January 2016

In this paper we prove the Hyers-Ulam stability of the following K-quadratic functional equation

where E is a real (or complex) vector space. This result was used to demonstrate the Hyers-Ulam stability on a set of Lebesgue measure zero for the same functional equation.
Electric Properties of NaTaO3 Obtained by Hydrothermal Method
Authors: Malaescu Dan , Grozescu Ioan , Sfirloaga Paula , Vlazan Paulina , Marin Catalin N.
Published: January 2016

Two samples of NaTaO3 perovskite materials were prepared by the standard hydrothermal method at the same reaction temperature (600 °C) but with different sintering times: 6 hours for sample S1 and 12 hours for sample S2.

Using X-ray diffraction (XRD), it shows that samples S1 and S2 are mixtures of Na-Ta oxides (Ta2O5 and the prevailing phase NaTaO3). The scanning electron microscopy analysis (SEM), shows that the grains are connected each other in agglomerated clusters of size about few hundred nanometers.

The frequency (f) dependencies of complex impedance, Z(f) = Z’(f) - i Z’’(f) of the samples, over the frequency range 20 Hz - 2 MHz, at room temperature are presented. The real component Z’ of the complex impedance decreases with increasing frequency and the imaginary component Z’’ has two maximum corresponding to two relaxation processes.

The results obtained from the complex impedance spectroscopy, Z’’(Z’) showed the appearance of two semicircles, corresponding to grain and grain boundary mechanism. Experimental results have been fitted with two parallel RC equivalent circuits connected in series and the parameters R and C have been evaluated.
EU Enlargement, Parallel Trade and Price Competition in Pharmaceuticals: Has the Price Competition increased?
Authors: Granlund David , Köksal-Ayhan Miyase Yesim
Published: January 2016

Given the cost of trade and availability of pharmaceuticals, the driving force for parallel trade is the price difference between the source (exporting) and the destination (importing) country. An increase in the price difference or in the availability of pharmaceuticals for parallel trade should increase price competition in the destination country. Using 2003–2007 data from Sweden we investigated whether EU enlargement in 2004, when new countries with low pharmaceutical prices joined the EU, increased competition from parallel imports. Drugs facing competition from parallel imports are found to have on average 19–22% lower prices than they would have had if they had never faced such competition. The EU enlargement is, however, not found to have increased this effect, which might be explained by derogations and changes in consumer perceptions of parallel imports.
Different pattern of haemagglutinin immunoreactivity of equine influenza virus strains isolated in Poland
Authors: Kwaśnik Małgorzata , Góra Ilona Marcelina , Rożek Wojciech
Published: January 2016

The immunoreactivity of haemagglutinin (HA) polypeptides of equine influenza virus was compared among the strains isolated in Poland, using H3 monoclonal antibody. A stronger signal in immunoblot reaction was observed for A/equi/Pulawy/2008 HA polypeptides compared to A/equi/Pulawy/2006, despite the fact that both strains are phylogenetically closely related and belong to Florida clade 2 of American lineage. The strongest signal, observed in the case of A/equi/Pulawy/2008, seemed to be connected with the presence of G135, I213, E379, and/or V530 instead of R135, M213, G379, and I530 present in A/equi/Pulawy/2006 HA sequence. This implies that point mutations within amino acid sequences of HA polypeptides of equine influenza virus may change their immunoreactivity even when they are not located within five basic antigenic sites.
Dioxins, furans, and polychlorinated biphenyls in hen eggs – a new source of hazard for consumers?
Authors: Piskorska-Pliszczyńska Jadwiga , Struciński Paweł , Mikołajczyk Szczepan , Maszewski Sebastian , Rachubik Jarosław , Warenik-Bany Małgorzata
Published: January 2016

The paper presents the results of testing eggs for the content of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), determination of the sources that caused the presence of high concentrations of these compounds which exceeded the acceptable contamination levels, and assessment of consumer health risk caused by the consumption of eggs with excessive contents of investigated compounds. In about 9% of free range eggs and 17% of organic eggs, the content of PCDD/Fs was two- or threefold higher than the acceptable limits, and in some samples the concentration of investigated compounds exceeded the maximum concentration levels. Based on the profile of the compounds, it was confirmed in several cases that their main source was the soil or unsecured refuse. The consumers of eggs and meat produced under these conditions constitute the risk groups, and their dioxin and PCB intake may exceed toxicological reference values.
Gestation specific reference intervals for thyroid function tests in pregnancy
Authors: Akarsu Süleyman , Akbiyik Filiz , Karaismailoglu Eda , Dikmen Zeliha Gunnur
Published: January 2016

Thyroid function tests are frequently assessed during pregnancy to evaluate thyroid dysfunction or to monitor pre-existing thyroid disease. However, using non-pregnant reference intervals can lead to misclassification. International guidelines recommended that institutions should calculate their own pregnancy-specific reference intervals for free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The objective of this study is to establish gestation-specific reference intervals (GRIs) for thyroid function tests in pregnant Turkish women and to compare these with the age-matched non-pregnant women.

Serum samples were collected from 220 non-pregnant women (age: 18–48), and 2460 pregnant women (age: 18–45) with 945 (39%) in the first trimester, 1120 (45%) in the second trimester, and 395 (16%) in the third trimester. TSH, FT4 and FT3 were measured using the Abbott Architect i2000SR analyzer.

GRIs of TSH, FT4 and FT3 for first trimester pregnancies were 0.49–2.33 mIU/L, 10.30–18.11 pmol/L and 3.80–5.81 pmol/L, respectively. GRIs for second trimester pregnancies were 0.51–3.44 mIU/L, 10.30–18.15 pmol/L and 3.69–5.90 pmol/L. GRIs for third trimester pregnancies were 0.58–4.31 mIU/L, 10.30–17.89 pmol/L and 3.67–5.81 pmol/L. GRIs for TSH, FT4 and FT3 were different from non-pregnant normal reference intervals.

TSH levels showed an increasing trend from the first trimester to the third trimester, whereas both FT4 and FT3 levels were uniform throughout gestation. GRIs may help in the diagnosis and appropriate management of thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy which will prevent both maternal and fetal complications.
Using the hazard ratio to evaluate allowable total error in predictive measurands
Authors: Åsberg Arne , Odsæter Ingrid Hov , Mikkelsen Gustav , Hov Gunhild Garmo
Published: January 2016

Allowable total error is usually derived from data on biological variation or from state-of-the-art of measuring technology. Here we present a new principle for evaluating allowable total error when the concentration of the analyte (the measurand) is used for prediction: What are the predictive consequences of allowable total errors in terms of errors in the estimate of the hazard ratio (HR)?

We explored the effect of analytical measurement errors on Cox regression estimates of HR. Published data on Cox regression coefficients were used to illustrate the effect of measurement errors on predicting cardiovascular events or death based on serum concentration of cholesterol and on progression of chronic kidney disease to kidney failure based on serum concentrations of albumin, bicarbonate, calcium and phosphate, and urine albumin/creatinine-ratio.

If the acceptable error in the estimate of the HR is 10%, allowable total errors in serum cholesterol, bicarbonate and phosphate are approximately the same as allowable total error based on biological variation, while allowable total error in serum albumin and calcium are a little larger than estimates based on biological variation.

Evaluating allowable total error from its effect on the estimate of HR is universally applicable to measurands used for prediction.
Liquid–liquid equilibria of ternary systems of 1-hexene/hexane and extraction solvents
Authors: Zhu Lin , Li Fang-Fang , Lei Zhi-Gang , Zhu Ji-Qin
Published: January 2016

Olefins and paraffins are important basic chemical raw materials with so similar molecular structure and volatility that their separation is a difficult and energy-consuming process. Liquid- liquid equilibrium (LLE) data were determined for ternary systems of: 1-hexene + hexane + solvent at 25°C, 30°C, and 35°C, and N-formylmorpholine (NFM), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), γ-butyrolactone (GBL), and 1-methylimidazole (1-MEI) as the solvents studied. Liquid-liquid equilibrium data for each system were correlated to the NRTL (Non-Random Two Liquid) equation and the interaction parameters presented. The calculated results agree well with the experimental data.
Influence of solvents and novel extraction methods on bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of Phyllanthus amarus
Authors: Nguyen Van Tang , Pham Hong Ngoc Thuy , Bowyer Michael C. , Altena Ian A. van , Scarlett Christopher J.
Published: January 2016

Phyllanthus amarus (P. amarus) is a herbal plant used in the treatment of various diseases such as hepatitis, diabetes, and cancer. Efficiency of its bioactive compounds extraction and therefore the biological activity of the extracts are significantly influenced by both solvent character and extraction method. This study is aimed at the determination of the influence of six various solvents (water, acetonitrile, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, and dichloromethane) and nine different extraction methods (conventional, ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted, and six novel methods) on the extraction efficiency and antioxidant capacity of P. amarus. The results indicated that water extracted the maximal amount of phenolics from P. amarus and had the highest antioxidant capacity, while microwave-assisted extraction provided the highest yields of phenolics and saponins, and the highest antioxidant capacity with the lowest energy consumption when compared to the other extraction methods. These findings implied that water and microwave-assisted extraction are recommended as the most effective solvent and method for the extraction of bioactive compounds from P. amarus for potential application in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.
Synthesis of butyrate using a heterogeneous catalyst based on polyvinylpolypyrrolidone
Authors: Wang Song , Chang Qian-Qian , Shawgi Nazar , Li San-Xi , Zhang Lin-Nan
Published: January 2016

A heterogeneous polyvinylpolypyrrolidone supported Brønsted acidic catalyst ([PVPP-BS]HSO
Copper corrosion behaviour in acidic sulphate media in the presence of 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole and 5-chloro-1H-benzotriazole
Authors: Tasic Zaklina Z. , Antonijevic Milan M.
Published: January 2016

The influence of 1H-benzotriazole, 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole and 5-chloro-1H-benzotriazole on copper corrosion in an acidic sulphate medium was studied, as well as the influence of chloride ions on the corrosion behaviour of copper. The methods used were potentiodynamic measurements, open circuit potential and mass loss. The results show that the examined compounds possess good inhibitory properties in an acidic medium. The potentiodynamic polarisation results indicate that the degree of copper protection against corrosion depends on the concentration of Cl
International Comparisons of Tertiary Chemistry Education: A Best-Practice Approach for Development and Quality Enhancement
Authors: Elmgren Maja , Ho Felix , Åkesson Eva
Published: January 2016

There are many reasons chemistry education varies among nations and institutions: cultural traditions, societal expectations, socio-economic factors, and educational resources, to name just a few. At the university level there is also a dependence on the earlier educational system, as well as the research profile of the particular institution. In an increasingly globalized world, however, graduate mobility across international boundaries is more relevant than ever. In order to promote high quality chemistry education, comparisons and communication at both national and international levels are important for designing or improving programs. Such comparisons can raise the awareness of what to change and what to hold on to.
GEOTRACES: High-Quality Marine Analytical Chemistry on a Global Scale
Authors: Turner David , Urban Ed
Published: January 2016

Studies of ocean chemistry on a global scale have a long history, beginning with the Challenger Expedition in the 19th Century. In the modern era, the Geochemical Ocean Section Study (GEOSECS) programme in the 1970s provided the first global picture of inorganic carbon and its isotopes in the ocean and laid the basis for the first assessments of the extent to which the oceans take up fossil fuel CO
DART – The dialogue annotation and research tool
Authors: Weisser Martin
Published: January 2016

Corpus-based research into pragmatics is suffering from a distinct lack of suitably annotated corpora. This dilemma has so far generally forced researchers in corpus-based pragmatics to focus on well-known fixed expressions (e. g. discourse markers, politeness formulae, etc.) in their research, rather than being able to investigate interaction on the level of speech acts and other pragmatics-relevant features on a larger scale. This article describes a research environment that aims at remedying this problem (currently for English only) by making large-scale annotation of, and research into, speech acts and other linguistic levels possible in an efficient manner, at the same time discussing the difficulties and complexities inherent in such an endeavour. It then goes on to illustrate the efficiency of the approach, and how the resulting annotations represent an improvement over existing models in the form of a brief case study. The latter includes an illustrative discussion of the performance of the tool in annotating a subset of 100 files from the Switchboard corpus, plus a more detailed comparison of the automatically annotated version of one of the files with its original, manually annotated, version.
Globalization And Knowledge Management In Projects
Authors: Bubel Dagmara
Published: January 2016

Knowledge management is a field of management dealing with the use of knowledge, methods, and tools to effectively coordinate complex and unique projects. In accordance with this definition, project knowledge can be treated as a useful resource of information that allows projects to be implemented in compliance with its objectives: time, costs, and quality of results. Knowledge in the activity of an organization, including in the implementation of projects, has for many years been an area of interest to researchers, who confirmed its key importance for building permanent competitive advantages of companies and enterprises. In project management, this issue takes on a new character, as it is transferred to the field of dynamic, time restricted, temporary, and team-implemented projects. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a survey regarding the use of practices of knowledge management in projects in international organizations and to show that the concept of knowledge management in projects is a tool conducive to spreading the process of globalization.
Theoretical Developments In Environmental Management Accounting And The Role And Importance Of MFCA
Authors: Doorasamy Mishelle
Published: January 2016

Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) is a broader concept of accounting which uses accounting tools and practices to support company-internal management decision making on environmental issues and its impact on company performance. Research on EMA can be divided into two broad categories: theoretical and empirical studies. The theoretical studies based on framework that aim to explain the nature of the relationship between economic and environmental performance and the adoption of Environmental Management Accounting in a business environment. The empirical studies follow two lines of research, instrumental studies aim to empirically test the relationships hypothesized in theoretical studies; descriptive studies are intended to examine the factors that encourage the adoption of EMA. This review paper examined the role of MFCA in identifying non-product output (waste) and its impact on an organisations profitability. Various case studies are examined in this article that demonstrates MFCA to an important environmental management tool to ensure future sustainability of an organisation.
The Challenges Of Public University Informatization
Authors: Zajkowski Andrzej , Stańczak Janusz
Published: January 2016

The public university is a peculiar mix of features of corporations, public office, and the legacy of a tradition of federalism and academic freedom. Hence its programming information, understood as the primary management tool, requires a specific approach. This article (on the nature of the study) discusses the challenges of research by referring to selected participating (action research) carried out in the course of the implementation of information technology (IT) projects at the Warsaw University of Technology in the years 2013–15. Computerization of university is a complex, ongoing process, which depends on many factors, limited all kinds of regulations that requires making the right decision at every stage. The introduction of standardized and business processes is expensive and associated with organizational changes. However, it brings benefits in terms of new technologies, reduce operating costs and increase flexibility to respond to changing external conditions. Informatics is a dynamic process, that usually lasts as long as the organization works and develops. Organization and her environment are changing, it requires to adapt hardware and software solutions [2].
The hyperbolic lattice point problem in conjugacy classes
Authors: Chatzakos Dimitrios , Petridis Yiannis N.
Published: January 2016

For Γ a cocompact or cofinite Fuchsian group, we study the hyperbolic lattice point problem in conjugacy classes, which is a modification of the classical hyperbolic lattice point problem. We use large sieve inequalities for the Riemann surfaces

Γ
\
ℍ

${{\Gamma\backslash{\mathbb{H}}}}$

to obtain average results for the error term, which are conjecturally optimal. We give a new proof of the error bound

O
⁢

(

X

2
/
3

)

${O(X^{2/3})}$

, due to Good. For

SL
2

⁢

(
ℤ
)

${{\mathrm{SL}_{2}({\mathbb{Z}})}}$

we interpret our results in terms of indefinite quadratic forms.
An efficient asymmetric approach to the R-enantiomer impurity of esomeprazole
Authors: Zhou Guobin , Guan Yueqing
Published: January 2016

Esomeprazole {(S)-5-methoxy-2-[(4-methoxy-3, 5-dimethyl-2-pyridinylmethyl) sulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole} is a proton pump inhibitor used as an antiulcer drug. Its R-enantiomer3was synthesized with high enantioselectivity by asymmetric oxidation of prochiral sulfide2using the oxaziridinium salt4. Product3, useful as a reference for the quality control of esomeprazole, was characterized by1H and13C NMR, IR, and HRMS. The enantiomeric excess was determined by HPLC.
Moral responsibility for natural disasters
Authors: Dranseika Vilius
Published: January 2016

My aim in this paper is to explore the idea of human moral responsibility for (the outcomes) of natural disasters. First, I discuss the claim that there is often a human causal contribution to negative outcomes of even such paradigmatic natural disasters as earthquakes, typhoons, and volcano eruptions. Second, I attempt to move away from discussions attributing human causal responsibility to discussions attributing human moral responsibility for such outcomes (and to the obstacles to such attributions). I suggest that in most (perhaps even all) cases of moral responsibility for the outcomes of natural disasters moral responsibility is grounded in culpable negligence, including culpable failure to prevent the side-effects of our actions or omissions.
Challenge of time as a moral imperative
Authors: Drozenová Wendy
Published: January 2016

The aim of this essay is to consider how the dominant moral theories can be applied to the discourse of disaster situations. In specific times, specific values take priority. Therefore, this article will consider how moral theory deals with time. Kant’s moral philosophy has influenced ethics enormously, but rejects the idea of a temporal dimension in ethics; consequently, modern ethics has not devoted sufficient attention to the temporal dimension. Nonetheless, Kantian ethics established the basic principles of respect for human beings as ends in themselves, and for autonomy of rational beings; thus it cannot be ignored. In political decision-making, simply having good intentions does not suffice; they must be accompanied by responsibility. Both the ethics of consequentialism and virtue ethics (the virtue of wisdom) deal with responsibility for the future. Hans Jonas developed a concept of responsibility concerned particularly with the risks associated with new technologies and the ethical requirement to avoid disasters. “Uncertainty may be our permanent fate - which has moral consequences” (Jonas). Public policy should be precautionary. The ethics of disaster preparation planning is distinct from the ethics of disaster response planning.
On bankfull methods determination again – why we care?
Authors: Radecki-Pawlik Artur , Skalski Tomasz , Plesiński Karol , Czech Wiktoria
Published: January 2016

One more time we would like to pay attention of especially of the hydraulic engineer audience to bankfull stage and discharge. Along the paper we show commonly accepted definitions of it and ways of calculations. It is difficult to determine the size of the bankfull flow level, that is why the authors are presenting many selected methods. Some of the methods allow the determination of biotic bankfull flow through the occurrence of zones of vegetation characteristic and based on the observation of the occurrence of ground beetles (e.g. the Woodyer and the Radecki-Pawlik and Skalski methods). Some of the methods – most popular- are using morphometric parameters (e.g. the Williams, the Hey and Thorne, the Gauckler-Manning and finally the Lambor methods).

We believe that the value of bankfull discharge would be accepted as a supporting tool for designers, hydraulics engineers and managers, especially those who care about river channel environment and cooperate with fluvial geomorphologists- and biologists as well as environmental agencies.
Multi-objective optimization of in-situ bioremediation of groundwater using a hybrid metaheuristic technique based on differential evolution, genetic algorithms and simulated annealing
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Ch Sudheer , Mathur Shashi , Adamowski Jan
Published: January 2016

Groundwater contamination due to leakage of gasoline is one of the several causes which affect the groundwater environment by polluting it. In the past few years, In-situ bioremediation has attracted researchers because of its ability to remediate the contaminant at its site with low cost of remediation. This paper proposed the use of a new hybrid algorithm to optimize a multi-objective function which includes the cost of remediation as the first objective and residual contaminant at the end of the remediation period as the second objective. The hybrid algorithm was formed by combining the methods of Differential Evolution, Genetic Algorithms and Simulated Annealing. Support Vector Machines (SVM) was used as a virtual simulator for biodegradation of contaminants in the groundwater flow. The results obtained from the hybrid algorithm were compared with Differential Evolution (DE), Non Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA II) and Simulated Annealing (SA). It was found that the proposed hybrid algorithm was capable of providing the best solution. Fuzzy logic was used to find the best compromising solution and finally a pumping rate strategy for groundwater remediation was presented for the best compromising solution. The results show that the cost incurred for the best compromising solution is intermediate between the highest and lowest cost incurred for other non-dominated solutions.
Investigations of structural, elastic, electronic and thermodynamic properties of lutetium filled skutterudite LuFe4P12 under pressure effect: FP-LMTO method
Authors: Boudia Keltouma , Ameri Mohammed , Al-Douri Y. , Ameri Ibrahim , Bouafia H.
Published: January 2016

Structural, elastic, electronic and thermodynamic properties of ternary cubic filled skutterudite compound were calculated. We have computed the elastic modulus and its pressure dependence. From the elastic parameter behavior, it is inferred that this compound is elastically stable and ductile in nature. Through the quasi-harmonic Debye model, in which phononic effects are considered, the effect of pressure P (0 to 50 GPa) and temperature T (0 to 3000 °C) on the lattice constant, elastic parameters, bulk modulus B, heat capacity, thermal expansion coefficient α, internal energy U, entropy S, Debye temperature θD, Helmholtz free energy A, and Gibbs free energy G are investigated.
Methods of optimization of reactive sputtering conditions of Al target during AlN films deposition
Authors: Chodun Rafal , Nowakowska-Langier Katarzyna , Zdunek Krzysztof
Published: January 2016

Encouraged by recent studies and considering the well-documented problems occurring during AlN synthesis, we have chosen two diagnostic methods which would enable us to fully control the process of synthesis and characterize the synthesized aluminum nitride films. In our experiment we have compared the results coming from OES measurements of plasma and circulating power characteristics of the power supply with basic features of the deposited layers. The dual magnetron system operating in AC mode was used in our studies. Processes of aluminum target sputtering were carried out in an atmosphere of a mixture of argon and nitrogen. The plasma emission spectra were measured with the use of a monochromator device. Analyses were made by comparing the positions and intensities of spectral lines of the plasma components. The results obtained allowed us to characterize the sputtering process under various conditions of gas mixture compositions as well as power distribution more precisely, which is reported in this work. The measured spectra were related to the deposition rate, the structure morphology of the films and chemical composition. Our work proved that the use of plasma OES and circulating power measurements make possible to control the process of sputtering and synthesis of deposited films in situ.
Crystal structure of poly[bis(μ4-4,4′-(1,2-phenylenebis(oxy))dibenzoato-κ4
O:O′:O′′:O′′′)bis(μ3-4,4′-(1,2-phenylenebis(oxy))dibenzoato–κ3
O:O′:O′′)(μ2-1-(4-((1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl)benzyl)-1H-imidazole-κ2
N:N′)tetracobalt(II)], C94H62O24N4Co4
Authors: Gao Ye
Published: January 2016

C94H62O24N4Co4, triclinic, P1̅, a = 9.3604(11) Å, b = 11.7945(14) Å, c = 19.805(2) Å, α = 94.227(2)°, β = 98.390(2)°, γ = 98.965(2)°, V = 2126.2(4) Å3, Z = 1, R
gt
(F) = 0.0540, wR
ref
(F
2
) = 0.1163, T = 293 K.
The crystal structure of 4-allyl-5-benzyl-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one, C12H13N3O
Authors: Karczmarzyk Zbigniew , Pitucha Monika , Woś Maciej , Wysocki Waldemar , Urbańczyk-Lipkowska Zofia , Morawiak Maja
Published: January 2016

C12H13N3O, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 11.0784(3) Å, b = 14.4910(4) Å, c = 7.1565(2) Å,
β
= 97.668(2)°, V = 1138.61(5) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt
(F) = 0.0432, wR
ref
(F
2
) = 0.1328, T = 296 K.
A cognitive-pragmatic approach to error analysis
Authors: Włosowicz Teresa Maria
Published: January 2016

The purpose of the present paper is to analyze L2 and L3 production and comprehension from a cognitive-pragmatic point of view, taking into account Relevance Theory (Sperber and Wilson, 1986; Wilson and Sperber, 2006), Mental Models Theory (Johnson-Laird, 1983) and the Graded Salience Hypothesis (Giora, 1997). Special attention is paid to error analysis and to the detection of error sources, especially in the case of errors not attributable to transfer, interference or overgeneralization. The paper is based on three studies involving, first, L2 and L3 production (Study 1), both production and comprehension (Study 2) and L3 comprehension (Study 3). In general, the phenomena observed can be explained by a combination of Relevance Theory, Mental Models Theory and the Graded Salience Hypothesis. In fact, even when transfer is used as a strategy, its use is relevant to the learner, who assumes that it will be relevant to the recipient as well. The results also shed some light on the multilingual mental lexicon and multiple language processing.
The Influence Of Planning Decisions Regarding Land Evaluation Based On A Selected Local Real Estate Market
Authors: Foryś Iwona , Putek–Szeląg Ewa
Published: January 2016

The article analyzes the influence of planning decisions on changes taking place on the local real estate market. Three stages of the planning process are studied in particular, i.e.: the passing of the study of conditions and directions of spatial development, the Commune Council Resolution on initiating the formulation of a local spatial development plan, and finally the Resolution on accepting the local plan, as well as the effects of these activities on the land value in a given real estate market in Stargard Szczeciński, in the West-Pomeranian (Zachodniopomorskie) Province of Poland. The object of the research is to identify the indicated relationships on a given real estate market, on which respective spatial planning stages can be distinguished, as well as the strength and course of the analyzed relationships. The study will verify the research hypothesis regarding the strength and directions of the effects of planning decisions as the direct and indirect reasons behind price changes on the real estate market. The analysis uses data from the Price Register and the District Starosty Values, along with statistical and public information data and the authors' own studies.
Exchange Rate Risk On The Mortgage Market
Authors: Siemińska Ewa , Krajewska Małgorzata
Published: January 2016

Strict connections of the real estate market with the financial market are an unquestionable phenomenon at every level of investing, starting from the lowest individual investor, and finishing with national and transnational players. One of the more interesting examples of such a dependency is the problem of the risk of financing the real estate market, which results from numerous macro-, mezo- and microeconomic conditions, including, inter alias, the phenomenon of capital migration, supranational bank regulations or the development of currency exchange rates on world markets. The most recent example of such a dependency is, among others, the decision of the National Bank of Switzerland from the beginning of 2015 to abandon the Swiss franc-euro cap, which will go down in the history of the world financial market. Its global effects will surely be very difficult to assess, while the resulting turbulences and consequences for many (institutional, corporation and individual) market participants cause, on the one hand, awaiting a reaction and actions aimed at helping entities affected by the consequences of the mentioned decision and, on the other, many questions and doubts.

The paper will present current selected aspects concerning currency risk in the context of financing the residential real estate market and the directions of actions prepared in reaction to the abovementioned risk. Polish conditions will be presented against the background of examples of foreign solutions.

The aim of the work is to present:

the essence of currency risk in the context of the current financial situation of the Polish banking sector,

the most important directions of proposals for remedial actions aimed at mitigating the effects of the significant increase in the exchange rate of the Swiss franc in relation to the Polish currency,

a short overview of selected solutions/regulations regarding the exchange rate risk of mortgages taken out in a foreign currency in other countries.

The method employed was the critical analysis of the most-recent reports and recommendations of the National Bank of Poland, Polish Financial Supervision Authority, Polish Banking Union, and other experts on the subject of financing the real estate market, as well as a comparative analysis of solutions regarding currency risk in selected countries.