bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Selenium Supplementation on Serum Amylase, Lactate Dehydrogenase and Alkaline Phosphatase Activities in Rats Exposed to Cadmium or Lead
Authors: Şlencu B.G. , Ciobanu C. , Solcan Carmen , Anton Alina , Ciobanu St. , Solcan Gh. , Cuciureanu Rodica
Published: May 2015

The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of selenium supplementation on serum amylase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities in rats, during subacute exposure to toxic doses of cadmium or lead through the drinking water. The experimental groups (n=6) were: Control, Se (Se+4: 0,2 mg/l), Cd (Cd+2: 150 mg/l), Pb (Pb+2: 300 mg/l), Cd+Se (Cd+2: 150 mg/l; Se+4: 0,2 mg/l) and Pb+Se (Pb+2: 300 mg/l; Se+4: 0,2 mg/l). The animals were sacrificed after 56 days. Amylase, LDH and ALP activities were determined from serum. Se and Pb treatments caused an increase in amylase and LDH activities, when compared to Control group while Cd caused an increase in amylase activity and a decrease in LDH and ALP activities. Cd+Se caused a decrease in amylase activity and an increase in LDH activity, when compared to Cd. Pb+Se caused a decrease in amylase activity in comparison to lead. Selenium supplementation alleviated cadmium or lead induced changes in serum amylase activity. Selenium, coadministered with cadmium, caused a marked increase in serum LDH activity, when compared to cadmium alone or Control group while practically it had no effect on lead induced changes in LDH activity. Cadmium and lead induced disturbances in serum ALP activity were not influenced by selenium supplementation.
Putrescine Improve Low Temperature Tolerance of Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare Mill.) Seeds
Authors: Mustafavi S.H. , Shekari F. , Abbasi A.
Published: May 2015

The effects of polyamine priming on the germination behaviour of fennel at low temperatures were investigated. For preparing the putrescine pretreatments, seeds were divided into four parts. Two samples primed into putrescine (10 or 20 ppm) for 24 h, other samples were as controls. In order to eliminate the effect of water from test results, seeds were soaked in water only. After the priming, seeds were dried and used for germination test at 10 and 20 ºC. Except for seedling dry weight, all of the priming treatments improved germination performance and seedling growth of fennel seeds. Maximum germination percentage was achieved by 10 ppm Put application and lower value was observed in control seeds. About the energy of germination and mean germination time, polyamine treatments had better effect than hydropriming, but similar results was observed from seeds treated by 10 ppm Put and hydroprime on root and shoot length. Results showed that adequate presence of Put in the priming media had better than priming with water only. However, high concentrations of Put had not significant effect as well as 10 ppm Put. These results indicated that 10 ppm Put priming could be as an effective method to improve low temperature tolerance of fennel seeds.
The Number and Geographical Scope of the EU Foreign Policy Initiatives of Small Member States: Does „smallness“ matter?
Authors: Luša Đana , Kurečić Petar
Published: May 2015

Due to the complex voting and decision-making mechanisms of the EU, the size-factor has long been present within EU studies as a relevant and significant variable in explaining member states’ activism. Despite the aim of small states to achieve equal representation, there is a huge discrepancy between the power of big and small states within the EU. Therefore, the expected behavior of small states is different from that of the big ones. However, there are also significant differences in foreign policy activism within the group of small EU states and those are analysed in this article. In order to differentiate small states’ activism within EU foreign policy, the article explores the correlation between the scope and number of small states’ leadership initiatives in EU foreign policy and different quantitative criteria used to define these small states (population, total GDP, GDP per capita)
Project Management in Development Aid Industry – Public vs. Private
Authors: Simović Dragana
Published: May 2015

This article examines the relationship between the type of a development aid implementing organisation (public or private) and the quality of project management in development aid. The author begins with main public administration considerations - how public aid administration is different from private and furthermore, how particular sectoral characteristics of organisations influence the quality of the management process. The article combines empirical findings on the differences between the public and private sector with a complex setting of development aid and main success factors in development aid activity, in order to determine whether for-profit or public companies are more likely to achieve better project management processes. The article identifies some indices that favorise private companies, and outlines further necessary steps that should be taken in order to broaden the argumentation and confirm or reject this assertion
A two dimensions modeling of non-collocated
piezoelectric patches bonded on thin structure
Authors: Hariri H. , Bernard Y. , Razek A.
Published: May 2015

The system studied in this paper consists of thin
structure with several piezoelectric patches bonded on its
surface. The patches are used as actuators and sensors.
Based on Kirchhoff-Love hypothesis, linear constitutive
relations, plane stress formulation and Hamilton principle,
we have developed a 2D model for this system using
the finite element method. It is not a standard 2D model,
since the calculation is performed on a structure that does
not have symmetries that allow such easy assumptions.
The originality of the work consists in the use of the concept
of neutral plane to model this asymmetric system in
2D. This technique, beside good precision, saves computational
time. An experimental device has been also built
and tested to validate the model. The structural damping
is included in the model to match the damping behavior
of the real system. Optimizations of the thickness of piezoelectric
patches and materials used in the thin structures
are also presented in the paper.
Vibration analysis of multi-stepped and
multi-damaged parabolic arches using GDQ
Authors: Viola Erasmo , Miniaci Marco , Fantuzzi Nicholas , Marzani Alessandro
Published: May 2015

This paper investigates the in-plane free vibrations
of multi-stepped and multi-damaged parabolic
arches, for various boundary conditions. The axial extension,
transverse shear deformation and rotatory inertia effects
are taken into account. The constitutive equations relating
the stress resultants to the corresponding deformation
components refer to an isotropic and linear elastic material.
Starting from the kinematic hypothesis for the in-plane
displacement of the shear-deformable arch, the equations
of motion are deduced by using Hamilton’s principle. Natural
frequencies and mode shapes are computed using
the Generalized Differential Quadrature (GDQ) method.
The variable radius of curvature along the axis of the
parabolic arch requires, compared to the circular arch, a
more complex formulation and numerical implementation
of the motion equations as well as the external and internal
boundary conditions. Each damage is modelled as a
combination of one rotational and two translational elastic
springs.
A parametric study is performed to illustrate the influence
of the damage parameters on the natural frequencies
of parabolic arches for different boundary conditions and
cross-sections with localizeddamage.Results for the circular
arch, derived from the proposed parabolic model with
the derivatives of some parameters set to zero, agree well
with those published over the past years.
The Cell Method: An Overview on the Main Features
Authors: Ferretti Elena
Published: May 2015

The Cell Method (CM) is a computational tool that maintains critical multi-dimensional attributes of physical phenomena in analysis. This information is neglected in the differential formulations of the classical approaches of finite element, boundary element, finite volume, and finite difference analysis, often leading to numerical instabilities and spurious results. This paper highlights the central theoretical concepts of the CM that preserve a more accurate and precise representation of the geometric and topological features of variables for practical problem solving. Important applications occur in fields such as electromagnetics, electrodynamics, solid mechanics and fluids. CM addresses non-locality in continuum mechanics, an especially important circumstance in modelling heterogeneous materials.
Flexural strengthening of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Beams Retrofitted with Corrugated Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Laminates
Authors: Aravind N. , Samanta Amiya K. , Roy Dilip Kr. Singha , Thanikal Joseph V.
Published: May 2015

Strengthening the structural members of old buildings using advanced materials is a contemporary research in the field of repairs and rehabilitation. Many researchers used plain Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) sheets for strengthening Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams. In this research work, rectangular corrugated GFRP laminates were used for strengthening RC beams to achieve higher flexural strength and load carrying capacity. Type and dimensions of corrugated profile were selected based on preliminary study using ANSYS software. A total of twenty one beams were tested to study the load carrying capacity of control specimens and beams strengthened with plain sheets and corrugated laminates using epoxy resin. This paper presents the experimental and theoretical study on flexural strengthening of Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams using corrugated GFRP laminates and the results are compared. Mathematical models were developed based on the experimental data and then the models were validated.
Bending analysis of laminated composite and
sandwich beams according to refined
trigonometric beam theory
Authors: Sayyad A. S. , Ghugal Y. M. , Naik N. S.
Published: May 2015

A trigonometric beam theory (TBT) is developed
for the bending analysis of laminated composite and sandwich
beams considering the effect of transverse shear deformation.
The axial displacement field uses trigonometric
function in terms of thickness coordinate to include the effect
of transverse shear deformation. The transverse displacement
is considered as a sum of two partial displacements,
the displacement due to bending and the displacement
due to transverse shearing. Governing equations and
boundary conditions are obtained by using the principle
of virtual work. To demonstrate the validity of present theory
it is applied to the bending analysis of laminated composite
and sandwich beams. The numerical results of displacements
and stresses obtained by using present theory
are presented and compared with those of other trigonometric
theories available in literature along with elasticity
solution wherever possible.
A complete classification of four-dimensional paraKähler Lie algebras
Authors: Calvaruso Giovanni
Published: May 2015

We consider paraKähler Lie algebras, that is, even-dimensional Lie algebras g equipped with a pair
(J, g), where J is a paracomplex structure and g a pseudo-Riemannian metric, such that the fundamental
2-form Ω(X, Y) = g(X, JY) is symplectic. A complete classification is obtained in dimension four.
A Modified Gibbs Free Energy Minimisation Model for Fluid Bed Coal Gasification
Authors: Ściążko Marek , Stępień Leszek
Published: May 2015

A modified approach to equilibrium modelling of coal gasification is presented, based on global thermodynamic analysis of both homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions occurring during a gasification process conducted in a circulating fluid bed reactor. The model is based on large-scale experiments (ca. 200 kg/h) with air used as a gasification agent and introduces empirical modifications governing the quasi-equilibrium state of two reactions: water-gas shift and Boudouard reaction. The model predicts the formation of the eight key gaseous species: CO, CO2, H2O, H2, H2S, N2, COS and CH4, volatile hydrocarbons represented by propane and benzene, tar represented by naphthalene, and char containing the five elements C, H, O, N, S and inorganic matter.
Use of Natural Nanotubes of Halloysite Clay for Thermochemical Conversion of Cottonseed Oil
Authors: Mammadova T.A. , Hasankhanova N.V. , Teyubov Kh.Sh. , Askerova E.N. , Latifova T.S. , Abbasov V.M.
Published: May 2015

The process of obtaining low molecular weight C
The political and conception of the self – a Wittgensteinian approach to political thought/ Polityka bez podmiotu – wittgensteinowska perspektywa w myśli politycznej
Authors: Krzynówek-Arndt Anna
Published: May 2015

The paper proposes to examine the variety of ways political theorists understand the political importance of Wittgenstein’s thought. Any analysis of Wittgensteinian political philosophy start from different understanding of this philosophy of language and possible ends of philosophical activity. However, each attempt to interpret the significance of Wittgenstein’s work to political thought anticipates or is linked to a particular conception of the self, a particular conception of the human being that is not easy to reconcile with the Wittgenstein of Tractatus and the Wittgenstein of Philosophical Investigations. For that reasons any Wittgensteinian approach to political thought should make an attention to the way Wittgenstein discusses on the self, the “I”, the way we use the word “I”.
Harmonic Multivariate Ostrowski and Grüss Type Inequalities for Several Functions
Authors: Anastassiou George A.
Published: May 2015

Here we derive very general multivariate Ostrowski and Grüss type inequalities for several functions by involving harmonic polynomials. Estimates are with respect to all basic norms. We give applications
On a Characterization of a Power Distribution
Authors: Pawlas Piotr , Szynal Dominik
Published: May 2015

A measure of dependence called pseudo-covariance and related to covariance was proposed by Pawlas and Szynal [4]. It was used, among other things, in a characterization of a power distribution. Here we generalized that result.
Cost-efficiency in multivariate Lévy models
Authors: Rüschendorf Ludger , Wolf Viktor
Published: May 2015

In this paper we determine lowest cost strategies for given payoff distributions called cost-efficient
strategies in multivariate exponential Lévy models where the pricing is based on the multivariate Esscher
martingale measure. This multivariate framework allows to deal with dependent price processes as arising
in typical applications. Dependence of the components of the Lévy Process implies an influence even on the
pricing of efficient versions of univariate payoffs.We state various relevant existence and uniqueness results
for the Esscher parameter and determine cost efficient strategies in particular in the case of price processes
driven by multivariate NIG- and VG-processes. From a monotonicity characterization of efficient payoffs we
obtain that basket options are generally inefficient in Lévy markets when pricing is based on the Esscher
measure.We determine efficient versions of the basket options in real market data and show that the proposed
cost efficient strategies are also feasible from a numerical viewpoint. As a result we find that a considerable
efficiency loss may arise when using the inefficient payoffs.
Jobcoaching – a Method of Age Management in an Organisation
Authors: Sobocka-Szczapa Halina
Published: May 2015

Population aging phenomenon, which takes place globally, forces organisations to change their approach to human resource management. An interest in humanistic approach to management issues, including human resource management, that has been recently popular among HR experts, became the starting point for the analysis presented in this paper. It seems that jobcoaching is closely connected with this notion, which is aimed at understanding and improving the lot of human in the world of organisation, especially when people have the possibility to be active on the labour market for a longer time. Similarly, as in case of the basic assumptions of the humanistic approach to management, jobcoaching puts to the fore the need to understand the personal experience of the members of the organisation. The purpose of this paper is to present the jobcoaching as a method of age management in organisations. The paper verifies a research hypothesis, that in systematically changing conditions of the organisation, the use of jobcoaching can improve the company’s operations, as well as it can be a starting point for changing the attitudes of employees and employers to the situation prevailing in the environment.
Kaizen as a Method of Management Improvement in Small Production Companies
Authors: Kamińska Barbara
Published: May 2015

„Quality is not everything but everything is nothing without quality”. The famous quotation from K. Ishikawa brings to our attention the fact that nowadays quality is one of strategic concepts from the point of view of functioning of companies, especially production-oriented ones. The lack of quality often eliminates a product from the basket of potential further choices. That means that quality is a prerequisite in the contemporary, highly competitive and saturated market. In order to ensure quality, enterprises introduce various concepts and methods to support quality management. They include, among others, the kaizen philosophy, which allows to minimize unnecessary actions (losses). It is especially recommended to small firms as an inexpensive method assuring high quality of products because they are constantly improved, which, in turn, guarantees maintaining a high position among competitors. This article aims to introduce the concept of kaizen by describing how it works and considering whether it can be successful in Polish companies.
A Software Architecture Assisting Workflow Executions on Cloud Resources
Authors: Borowik Grzegorz , Woźniak Marcin , Fornaia Andrea , Giunta Rosario , Napoli Christian , Pappalardo Giuseppe , Tramontana Emiliano
Published: May 2015

An enterprise providing services handled by means of workflows needs to monitor and control their execution, gather usage data, determine priorities, and properly use computing cloud-related resources. This paper proposes a software architecture that connects unaware services to components handling workflow monitoring and management concerns. Moreover, the provided components enhance dependability of services while letting developers focus only on the business logic
Construction of an Expert System Based on Fuzzy Logic for Diagnosis of Analog Electronic Circuits
Authors: Grzechca Damian E.
Published: May 2015

The paper presents construction of the fuzzy logic system to analog circuits parametric fault diagnosis. The classical dictionary construction is replaced by fuzzy rule system. The first part refers to analog fault diagnosis, its techniques, approaches and goals. It clarifies common strategy and define differences between detecting, locating and identifying a fault in analog electronic circuit. The second part is focused on a creation of fuzzy rule expert system with use of sensitivity functions and known circuit topology. To detect, locate and identify a faulty element in a circuit the sensitivity matrix is used. The advantage of the method is its utilization in all, AC, DC and time domain. The fuzzy system, like the classical fault dictionary, can detect and locate single catastrophic faults and, on the contrary to the classical one, it also detects and locates parametric faults. Moreover, it allows identification of these faults, such that sign of the faulty parameter deviation is designated. The method has deterministic character as well as it can be applied on the verification and production stage
The On-line Evolutionary Method for Soft Fault Diagnosis in Diode-transistor Circuits
Authors: Korzybski Marek , Ossowski Marek
Published: May 2015

The paper is devoted to diagnostic method enabling us to perform all the three levels of fault investigations - detection, localization and identification. It is designed for analog diodetransistor circuits, in which the circuit’s state is defined by the DC sources’ values causing elements operating points and the harmonic components with small amplitudes being calculated in accordance with small-signal circuit analysis rules. Gene expression programming (GEP), differential evolution (DE) and genetic algorithms (GA) are a mathematical background of the proposed algorithms. Time consumed by diagnostic process rises rapidly with the increasing number of possible faulty circuit elements in case of using any of mentioned algorithms. The conncept of using two different circuit models with partly different elements allows us to decrease a number of possibly faulty elements in each circuit because some of possibly faulty elements are absent in one of two investigated circuits
Inhibition of kinase and endoribonuclease activity of ERN1/IRE1α affects expression of proliferationrelated genes in U87 glioma cells
Authors: Minchenko Oleksandr H. , Tsymbal Dariia O. , Minchenko Dmytro O. , Moenner Michel , Kovalevska Olena V. , Lypova Nadia M.
Published: May 2015

Inhibition of ERN1/IRE1α (endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1/inositol requiring enzyme-1α), the major signaling pathway of endoplasmic reticulum stress, significantly decreases tumor growth. We have studied the expression of transcription factors such as E2F8 (E2F transcription factor 8), EPAS1 (endothelial PAS domain protein 1), TBX3 (T-box 3), ATF3 (activating transcription factor 3), FOXF1 (forkhead box F1), and HOXC6 (homeobox C6) in U87 glioma cells overexpressing dominant-negative ERN1/IRE1α defective in endoribonuclease (dnr-ERN1) as well as defective in both kinase and endonuclease (dn-ERN1) activity of ERN1/IRE1α. We have demonstrated that the expression of all studied genes is decreased at the mRNA level in cells with modified ERN1/IRE1α; TBX3, however, is increased in these cells as compared to control glioma cells. Changes in protein levels of E2F8, HOXC6, ATF3, and TBX3 corresponded to changes in mRNAs levels. We also found that two mutated ERN1/IRE1α have differential effects on the expression of studied transcripts. The presence of kinase and endonuclease deficient ERN1/IRE1α in glioma cells had a less profound effect on the expression of E2F8, HOXC6, and TBX3 genes than the blockade of the endoribonuclease activity of ERN1/IRE1α alone. Kinase and endonuclease deficient ERN1/IRE1α suppresses ATF3 and FOXF1 gene expressions, while inhibition of only endoribonuclease of ERN1/IRE1α leads to the up-regulation of these gene transcripts. The present study demonstrates that fine-tuning of the expression of proliferation related genes is regulated by ERN1/IRE1α an effector of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Inhibition of ERN1/IRE1α, especially its endoribonuclease activity, correlates with deregulation of proliferation related genes and thus slower tumor growth.
The unfolded protein response, inflammation, oscillators, and disease: a systems biology approach
Authors: Rangel-Aldao Rafael
Published: May 2015

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes and obesity are responsible for about two thirds of mortality worldwide, and all of these ailments share a common low-intensity systemic chronic inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress), and the ensuing Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). These adaptive mechanisms are also responsible for significant metabolic changes that feedback with the central clock of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, as well as with oscillators of peripheral tissues. In this review we attempt to use a systems biology approach to explore such interactions as a whole; to answer two fundamental questions: (1) how dependent are these adaptive responses and subsequent events leading to NCD with their state of synchrony with the SCN and peripheral oscillators? And, (2) How could modifiers of the activity of SCN for instance, food intake, exercise, and drugs, be potentially used to modulate systemic inflammation and ER stress to ameliorate or even prevent NCDs?
Research on the accessibility to health and educational services in the rural areas in Extremadura
Authors: Nieto Masot Ana , Alonso Gema Cárdenas
Published: May 2015

As the competent laws on Health and Education of the Extremaduran Government read, all the Extremaduran people have the right to their benefits, irrespective of their social, economic and cultural characteristics. Nevertheless, in the Region of Extremadura there are still differences between the rural and urban areas, so, studying how the Extremaduran people can access, with the same conditions, to those services considered basic, such as health and education, is very significant. Using techniques as Network Analyst and the interpolation method IDW, we can note that in Extremadura there are still zones with a very-far- from- laws reality, rural areas with a difficult access to the named services and equipment due to the location on low developed in population and economy areas, and very far from the main communication roads
Bottlenecks in Software Defect Prediction Implementation in Industrial Projects
Authors: Hryszko Jarosław , Madeyski Lech
Published: May 2015

Case studies focused on software defect prediction in real, industrial software development projects are extremely rare. We report on dedicated R&D project established in cooperation between Wroclaw University of Technology and one of the leading automotive software development companies to research possibilities of introduction of software defect prediction using an open source, extensible software measurement and defect prediction framework called DePress (Defect Prediction in Software Systems) the authors are involved in. In the first stage of the R&D project, we verified what kind of problems can be encountered. This work summarizes results of that phase.
Analysis of Power Saving Class II Traffic in IEEE 802.16E with Multiple Sleep State and Balking
Authors: Misra Chinmaya , Goswami Veena
Published: May 2015

The battery life of Mobile Stations in IEEE 802.16e can be extended substantially by applying the sleep mode mechanism. This paper studies an effcient method to analyze the performance of the power saving class type II for delay sensitive traffc in multiple sleep state. The incoming data frames may join or balk the buffer due to impatience with some probability. We present an M/M/1/N queueing model with balking and multiple vacations in order to exhibit the self-similar property of IEEE 802.16e. We develop a cost function to determine the optimal service rate that minimizes the total expected cost. Various performance indices such as the average number of data frames in the system, the mean waiting time of the data frame in the system, the the average balking rate due to impatience, etc. have been presented. Numerical results are provided to show the inuence of various parameters on the behavior of the system. The proposed model provides a tradeoff between the average abandon rate and the power consumption.
Two New Decomposition Algorithms for Training Bound-Constrained Support Vector Machines*
Authors: Niu Lingfeng , Zhou Ruizhi , Zhao Xi , Shi Yong
Published: May 2015

Bound-constrained Support Vector Machine(SVM) is one of the stateof- art model for binary classification. The decomposition method is currently one of the major methods for training SVMs, especially when the nonlinear kernel is used. In this paper, we proposed two new decomposition algorithms for training bound-constrained SVMs. Projected gradient algorithm and interior point method are combined together to solve the quadratic subproblem effciently. The main difference between the two algorithms is the way of choosing working set. The first one only uses first order derivative information of the model for simplicity. The second one incorporate part of second order information into the process of working set selection, besides the gradient. Both algorithms are proved to be global convergent in theory. New algorithms is compared with the famous package BSVM. Numerical experiments on several public data sets validate the effciency of the proposed methods.
Sanselige Verdener. Poetik Og Repræsentation I Dea Trier Mørchs Rejsebøger
Authors: Schab Sylwia Izabela
Published: May 2015

The article deals with three travel books (Sorgmunter socialisme (1968), Polen (1970) and Da jeg opdagede Amerika (1986)) written by a Danish graphic designer, writer and political activist Dea Trier Mørch (1941-2001). In focus of the text analysis is the question of poetological aspects, a.o. of the position of the three texts in relation to travel books as a genre and the narrative strategies, which are used by the author to represent the visited countries. As the analysis will reveal, Mørch (as author and protagonist) can be understood as a modern sentimental traveler - both in terms of the structure of her narratives and the existential dimension of her travels.
A Comparison of Selected Aspects of Finnish and Polish Public Libraries
Authors: Antczak Mariola
Published: May 2015

The article presents and compares the general situation of public libraries and readership in Finland and Poland at the beginning of the 21st century, based on selected statistical data on the topic. In order to correctly understand the library policy of Finland - a country in which it is impossible to implement cultural policy without taking into account the geographical and natural conditions of individual regions - the most important data on the country are presented and compared with data on Poland.

Statistical schedules, online reports on the activity of public libraries, libraries’ homepages, legislative acts and professional library science magazines, among others, served as source materials for the conducted analysis. The comparative method, documentation analysis method and statistical method were used to achieve the assumed objectives.

Considering the limitations on the article size, a decision was made to select a few specific aspects of the topic for analysis - the most important ones in the author’s opinion. Among others, these included information on public libraries made available in both countries, contemporary government policies implemented towards the institutions that the author is interested in, conducting qualitative and quantitative research, generating reports on the research, as well as the governments’ compliance with international and national standards of the quality of library collections, personnel and services.
Gender And Life Satisfaction In The Czech Republic
Authors: CHANDA SANJOY KUMAR
Published: May 2015

Life satisfaction in its gender aspects opens up a new dimension in social research. This study starts with the research question of how life satisfaction and gender are associated with intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations. The questionnaire survey was used with 1821 respondents in the Czech Republic. The results show that it was in the 33-48 age range that the highest proportion of males, 59 per cent, expressed substantial life satisfaction, compared to the 18-32 age range for females (72 per cent). In addition, for males, a greater identification with life satisfaction is found for both intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations, whereas females represented this greater identification only in regard to intrinsic aspirations.
Beauty And The Beast From A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective: Animal Metaphors For Women In Serbian And Romanian
Authors: KILYENI ANNAMARIA , SILAŠKI NADEŽDA
Published: May 2015

Under the theoretical wing of Conceptual Metaphor Theory, we present a contrastive cognitive and linguistic analysis of the women are animals metaphor as used in Romanian and Serbian. Our main aim is to establish whether the names of the same animals are used in the two languages to conceptualise women and their various characteristics (particularly physical appearance and character traits), or alternatively, whether the two languages exhibit any linguistic or conceptual differences in this regard.
Genesis of Syntectonic Hydrothermal Veins in the Igneous Rock of Teschenite Association (Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic): Growth Mechanism and Origin of Fluids
Authors: Urubek Tomáš , Dolníček Zdeněk , Kropáč Kamil
Published: May 2015

Hydrothermal mineralization hosted by the Lower Cretaceous igneous rock of the teschenite association at Jasenice (Silesian Unit, Flysch Belt, Outer Western Carpathians) occurs in two morphological types - irregular vein filled by granular calcite and regular composite vein formed by both fibrous and granular calcite and minor chlorite, quartz, and pyrite. Crosscutting evidence indicates that the granular veins are younger than the composite vein. The composite vein was formed by two mechanisms at different times. The arrangement of solid inclusions in the marginal fibrous zone suggests an episodic growth by the crack-seal mechanism during syntectonic deformation which was at least partially driven by tectonic suction pump during some stages of the Alpine Orogeny. Both the central part of the composite vein and monomineral veins developed in a brittle regime. In these cases, the textures of vein suggest the flow of fluids along an open fracture. The parent fluids of both types of vein are characterized by low temperatures (Th=66-163 °C), low salinities (0.4 to 3.4 wt. % NaCl eq.), low content of strong REE-complexing ligands, and δ18O and δ13C ranges of + 0.2/+12.5 %. SMOW and -11.8/-14.1 %. PDB, respectively. The parent fluids are interpreted as the results of mixing of residual seawater and diagenetic waters produced by dewatering of clay minerals in the associ-ated flysch sediments. The flow of fluids was controlled by tectonic deformation of the host rock.
Oligocene-Early Miocene Planktonic Microbiostratigraphy and Paleoenvironments of the South Slovakian Basin (Lučenec Depression)
Authors: Ozdínová Silvia , Soták Ján
Published: May 2015

Oligocene and Lower Miocene sediments of the Lučenec Depression were studied to demonstrate the planktonic bioevents and climatic proxies from the Číž Formation (Rupelian) and Lučenec Formation (Chattian-Aquitanian) on the basis of quantitative analyses of foraminifers and calcareous nannofossils. The oldest nannofossil assemblages of the Číž Formation belonged to the NP23 Zone and were dominated by Reticulofenestra ornata known for preference of temperate eutrophic water conditions. An increase in bioproductivity was documented by abundant large-sized planktonic foraminifers (e.g. Turborotalia ampliapertura, Paragloborotalia nana, Subbotina gortanii) and epifaunal to shal-low-infaunal benthic species. The middle part of the Číž Formation reveals a lowstand progradation of deltaic sediments of the Rapovce Member. There, the planktonic foraminifers are impoverished in both size and diversity, containing mostly tenuitellid and cassigerinellid species, probably as a result of decreased salinity and increased anoxia in the Tard Clay. Contrary of this, the benthic foraminifers are rich, mainly the infaunal forms of uvigerinid species. They probably proliferated due to a high organic flux from riverine input. Open marine conditions were restored in the upper part of the Číž Formation above the lowest occurrence (LO) of Cyclicargolithus abisectus on the NP23-NP24 zone boundary. The transitional interval between the Číž and Lučenec formations (O5/O6 - NP24/25) was approximated by the HOs of Paragloborotalia opima and Sphenolithus distentus and the LOs of Globigerinoides primordius and Pontosphaera enormis. Benthic foraminifera of the Lučenec Formation indicate a high productivity and oxygen-deplected environ-ments. The Oligocene-Miocene boundary in the Lučenec Formation was appointed by the HOs of Helicospahera recta and Dictyococcites bisectus. Foraminiferal markers of this boundary were established from the HO of Globigerina ciperoensis and the LO of G. ottnangiensis. The highest nannofossil dating in the Lučenec Formation is recorded by the LOs of Helicosphaera mediterranea (NN1 Zone) and Discoaster druggi (NN2 Zone). The uppermost part of the Lučenec Formation contained many Paratethys benthic foraminifera, such as Uvigerina posthantkeni.
Distribution of coccolithophores as a potential proxy in paleoceanography: The case of the Oman Sea monsoonal pattern
Authors: Mojtahedin Elham , Hadavi Fatemeh , Lak Razyeh
Published: May 2015

High abundances of coccoliths have been observed in surface sediment samples from near the coasts of the Oman Sea in February 2011. At the end of the NE monsoon, the locally observed high Gephyrocapsa oceanica production is hypothesized to respond to local injections of nutrient-rich deep water into the surface water due to sea-surface cooling leading to convection. The most abundant coccolithophore species are G. oceanica followed by Emiliania huxleyi, Helicosphaera carteri, Calcidiscus leptoporus. Some species, such as Gephyrocapsa muellerae, Gephyrocapsa ericsonii, Umbilicosphaera sibogae, Umbellosphaera tenuis and Florisphaera profunda, are rare. The G. oceanica suggested a prevalence of upwelling conditions or high supply of nutrients in the Oman Sea (especially West Jask) at the end of the NE monsoon. E. huxleyi showed low relative abundances at the end of the NE monsoon. Due to the location of the Oman Sea in low latitudes with high temperatures, we have observed low abundances of G. muellerae in the study area. Additionally, we have identified low abundances of G. ericsonii at the end of the NE monsoon. Helicosphaera carteri showed a clear negative response with decreasing amounts (relative abundances) at the end of the NE monsoon. C. leptoporus, U. sibogae and U. tenuis have very low relative abundances in the NE monsoon and declined extremely at the end of the NE monsoon. F. profunda, which is known to inhabit the lower photic zone (<100 m depht) was rarely observed in the samples.
Właściwości zbiornikowe utworów wapienia muszlowego na Niżu Polskim
Authors: GANCARZ MARZENA
Published: May 2015

Streszczenie

Utwory wapienia muszlowego (trias środkowy) zajmują ponad 70% obszaru Niżu Polskiego. Reprezentowane są przede wszystkim przez różne odmiany wapieni, dolomitów i margli. Stanowią jeden z mniej rozpoznanych poziomów wodonośnych formacji mezozoicznej na Niżu Polskim, dlatego wzbudzają duże zainteresowanie badawcze m.in. odnośnie do parametrów zbiornikowych.

Jednoznaczną ocenę parametrów zbiornikowych, węglanowych utworów wapienia muszlowego, utrudnia obecność złożonej przestrzeni szczelinowej i porowej oraz brak wiedzy na temat szczelinowatości tych utworów.

Niemniej jednak na podstawie analizy parametrów porowatości całkowitej i przepuszczalności wskazano rodzaj skały zbiornikowej oraz wytypowano obszar i ogniwo o najkorzystniejszym rozkładzie tych parametrów w utworach wapienia muszlowego.

Zmiany własności petrofizycznych utworów wapienia muszlowego zależą przede wszystkim od rodzaju skały zbiornikowej oraz przebiegu stref dyslokacji. Analizując rozkład tych parametrów w obszarze całego zbiornika, widać ich wyraźną dwudzielność. Porowatością do 2% i przepuszczalnoćią poniżej 1 mD charakteryzują się głównie zbite niespękane wapienie oraz iłowce i margle. W obrębie całej formacji obserwuje się wartości przepuszczalności bliskie zera. Większość badanych prób zawiera się w przedziale przepuszczalności 0–0,1 mD.

Najwyższe wartości parametrów petrofizycznych zaobserwowano przede wszystkim w wapieniach piankowych i wapieniach czystych, dolnego wapienia muszlowego, na głębokościach nieprzekraczających 2500 m p.p.t. Maksymalne wartości porowatości całkowitej wapieni wynoszą > 20% przy przepuszczalności dochodzącej do 340 mD.

Obszar o najkorzystniejszych wartościach parametrów porowatości całkowitej i przepuszczalności rozciąga się na granicy monokliny przedsudeckiej i niecki łódzkiej, co zostało potwierdzone na podstawie porównania rozkładu parametru porowatości całkowitej z przebiegiem regionalnych stref tektonicznych.
Mining waste dumps – modern monitoring of thermal and gas activities
Authors: WASILEWSKI STANISŁAW , SKOTNICZNY PRZEMYSŁAW
Published: May 2015

Mining waste dumps are permanently incorporated in the landscape of the mining areas and exert an impact on the environment in many ways. The presence in the massif of a dump of carbonaceous substances often leads to the formation of fire hazards. Monitoring the activity of a newly created coal waste dump or of one under fire plays an extremely important role in fire prevention activity. Under the current regulations it must be carried out both during the exploitation process and for many years afterwards. Monitoring a dump is targeted, among others, at detecting thermal and gas anomalies already at the initial stage of development and to undertake preventive measures to eliminate and minimize the impact and load of a dump for the environment and the health and life of humans. In the article selected results of a research project (Raport 2011) are shown; a method of monitoring fire hazards at dump wastes was proposed, which includes thermal scanning and thermal-gas monitoring by a borehole method aimed at fixed points in the dump. Monitoring the large area of a dump requires exploration of the thermal state of a significant area hence the accepted scanning of the area is with a precision thermal imaging camera during an air raid. Then at selected sites of the dump, long-term in-field studies were conducted using the wireless data collection system from scattered test holes, made of perforated pipes and equipped with temperature and gas probes (CO, CO2, O2). At the same time the changes of environmental conditions and changes in atmospheric state parameters were observed around the dump, the so-called wind rose, based on data recorded by the weather station.
Analiza statystyczna parametrów mikrofacji dolomitu głównego w granicznej strefie platformy węglanowej
Authors: SEMYRKA ROMAN , JARZYNA JADWIGA A. , KRAKOWSKA PAULINA I. , SEMYRKA GRAŻYNA
Published: May 2015

Streszczenie

Duża liczba wyników badań laboratoryjnych parametrów zbiornikowych dolomitu głównego na obszarze platformy węglanowej, w rejonie wschodniej części platformy Gorzowa, w zatoce Noteci wraz z mikroplatformą Krobielewka, na półwyspie Grotowa, oraz na fragmencie platformy wiel-kopolskiej, sięgającym rejonu Pniew umożliwiła wykonanie wiarygodnych analiz statystycznych. Standardowe badania na próbkach skał (gęstości objętościowej, porowatości efektywnej i przepuszczalności fizycznej) wzbogacone zostały o wyniki pomiarów porozymetrii rtęciowej. Wyniki badań laboratoryjnych, przede wszystkim porozymetrii rtęciowej, rozszerzyły znacznie informaję o skale zbiornikowej (dolomicie głównym) i przyczyniły się do wydzielenia różnorodnych mikrofacji oraz stref paleogeograficznych.

Na podstawie wyników przeprowadzonej analizy statystycznej porównano parametry petrofizyczne trzech mikrofacji i stwierdzono, że utwory ziarnozwięzłe charakteryzowały się najlepszymi właściwościami zbiornikowymi. Dla tych utworów stwierdzono wysoką srednią porowatość efektywną oraz wysoką średnią porowatość dynamiczną dla gazu i ropy. Utwory te charakteryzowały się także wysoką przepuszczalnością.

Stwierdzono duży procentowy udział próbek mikrofacji utworów ziarnozwięzłych w badanej populacji próbek dolomitu głównego. Próbki tej mikrofacji stanowiły 75% (w badaniach porozymetrii rtęciowej) i 72% (w badaniach porozymetrii helowej) całej populacji. Taki wniosek jest korzystny z punktu widzenia dalszych prac poszukiwawczych w dolomicie głównym, gdyż pozwala założyć, że 72–75% przewierconego dolomitu głównego należy do mikrofacji utworów ziarnozwięzłych. Stwierdzono także, że różnica między wartościami parametrów wyznaczonymi dla całej grupy danych i zbioru próbek mikrofacji utworów ziarnozwięzłych nie jest duża. Można zatem przyjąć, że badania parametrów w całym zbiorze danych są reprezentatywne w zakresie właściwości zbiornikowych dla próbek należących do mikrofacji utworów ziarnozwięzłych.

Badania przeprowadzone w grupach danych pochodzących z otworów odwierconych w różnych strefach paleogenicznych, związanych ze środowiskiem sedymentacji, pozwoliły stwierdzić, że w strefie bariery węglanowej wybrane parametry przyjmują wartości wyraźnie różniące się od odpowiednich danych w strefach równi platformowej i podnóża platformy.

Wykonana analiza statystyczna poszerzyła informację o parametrach zbiornikowych skał i ułatwiła ich szybką klasyfikację pod względem stref sedymentacyjnych na obszarze platformy oraz ocenę mikrofacji utworów ziarnozwięzłych o najlepszych właściwościach do gromadzenia i odda-wania węglowodorów w dolomicie głównym.
Six Weeks of Core Stability Training Improves Landing Kinetics Among Female Capoeira Athletes: A Pilot Study
Authors: Araujo Simone , Cohen Daniel , Hayes Lawrence
Published: May 2015

Core stability training (CST) has increased in popularity among athletes and the general fitness population despite limited evidence CST programmes alone lead to improved athletic performance. In female athletes, neuromuscular training combining balance training and trunk and hip/pelvis dominant CST is suggested to reduce injury risk, and specifically peak vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) in a drop jump landing task. However, the isolated effect of trunk dominant core stability training on vGRF during landing in female athletes had not been evaluated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate landing kinetics during a drop jump test following a CST intervention in female capoeira athletes. After giving their informed written consent, sixteen female capoeira athletes (mean ± SD age, stature, and body mass of 27.3 ± 3.7 years, 165.0 ± 4.0 cm, and 59.7 ± 6.3 kg, respectively) volunteered to participate in the training program which consisted of static and dynamic CST sessions, three times per week for six weeks. The repeated measures T-test revealed participants significantly reduced relative vGRF from pre- to post-intervention for the first (3.40 ± 0.78 vs. 2.85 ± 0.52 N·NBW-1, respectively [p<0.05, effect size = 0.60]), and second landing phase (5.09 ± 1.17 vs. 3.02 ± 0.41 N·NBW-1, respectively [p<0.001, effect size = 0.87]). The average loading rate was reduced from pre- to post-intervention during the second landing phase (30.96 ± 18.84 vs. 12.06 ± 9.83 N·NBW·s-1, respectively [p<0.01, effect size = 0.68]). The peak loading rate was reduced from pre- to postintervention during the first (220.26 ± 111.51 vs. 120.27 ± 64.57 N· NBW·s-1 respectively [p<0.01, effect size = 0.64]), and second (99.52 ± 54.98 vs. 44.71 ± 30.34 N· NBW·s-1 respectively [p<0.01, effect size = 0.70]) landing phase. Body weight, average loading rate during the first landing phase, and jump height were not significantly different between week 0 and week 6 (p=0.528, p=0.261, and p=0.877, respectively). This study provides evidence that trunk dominant core stability training improves landing kinetics without improving jump height, and may reduce lower extremity injury risk in female athletes.