bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Corporate Governance Performance Indicators for Czech Manufacturing Companies
Authors: Pavláková Docekalová Marie , Kocmanová Alena , Kolenák Jirí
Published: May 2015

Effective corporate governance is a key element in achieving long-term success for any company. The codes of conduct that corporate governance adopts directly determine the sustainability of business activities. With this in mind, this paper aims to demonstrate the results of research that identifies a set of key indicators of corporate governance performance. The presented research is quantitative. In order to identify key performance indicators, factor analysis was employed. It was found that corporate governance performance is influenced by two factors. For the first factor, the relationship between corporate governance and stakeholders is measured by key indicators: percentage of women within CG, contributions to political parties, politicians and related institutions and number of complaints received from stakeholders. The second factor, strategy & compliance, is generated from the following: percentage of strategic objectives met and total number of sanctions for breaching the law. This research aims to assist both academic and corporate practitioners who want to improve corporate governance performance and, through the use of key performance indicators, support the transparency and sustainability of their business.
Porovnanie kvalitatívnej produkcie dvoch bukových (Fagus sylvatica L.) porastov na kyslom stanovišti / A comparison of qualitative production of two beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stands growing at acid sites
Authors: Štefančík Igor
Published: May 2015

In this paper, a beech thinning experiment aimed at qualitative production issues was analysed. Two beech stands (93- and 105-year-old), growing at acid sites with similar ecological conditions were compared. The stands differ in the stand age, when their tending started (at the age of 40 years in one experiment versus 60 years for the second one). In the first stand, the thinning interventions were carried out during last 45 years, while in the second stand a 53-year-long period of investigation was recorded. The research was conducted in four treatment plots: (i) heavy thinning from below (C degree according to the German forest research institutes from 1902), (ii) free crown thinning with thinning intervals of 5 years, (iii) free crown thinning with thinning intervals of 10 years, and (iv) control plot (without thinning). The stand qualitative parameters (stem and crown quality, proportion of the best quality assortment and share of crop trees) were evaluated. From the point of qualitative production, the best results were most frequently obtained at the plots with the free crown thinning followed by heavy thinning from below. The worst parameters were found at the control plot
Porovnání vybraných kvalitativních znaků kmene dubových porostů při různém vlivu pomocných dřevin / Comparison of selected qualitative characteristics of stem in oak stands under varying effects of auxiliary tree species
Authors: Slávik Martin , Štefančík Igor
Published: May 2015

The paper analyses the influence of auxiliary trees species on selected qualitative characteristics of the parent oak stand aged 100-120 years from the tending aspect point of view. Stand structure described by relative height position, and stem straightness and branchiness as the main qualitative parameters were studied on 162 trees in three different forest stands: (i) without woody understorey, (ii) with understorey dominated by European hornbeam with an admixture of small-leaved linden and field maple, and iii) with understorey dominated by small-leaved linden. The results showed a positive effect of auxiliary tree species on the oak quality (straightness and branchiness of stems) in the lower part of the stem. Under the assumed elimination of genetic influences, better qualitative parameters of oak could be explained by the occurrence of auxiliary trees in the understorey.
Inovovaný prístup k tvorbe kategórií drvičov nežiaducich nárastov / Innovative approach to creating categories of forestry mulchers
Authors: Hnilica Richard , Slugeň Jozef , Dado Miroslav , Messingerová Valéria , Hnilicová Michaela
Published: May 2015

This paper highlights innovative opportunities for the development of forestry machines categorisation. Nowadays, the market offers different types of forestry machines available from many manufacturers, and ordinary customers as well as the professional community have a problem to orientate themselves in a great number of products. The aim of this paper was to develop a categorisation scheme for forestry machines - mulchers to enhance the understanding and communication between vendors and potential users of these products. The proposed categorisation system takes means of propulsion into account, and is based on the following parameters: engine performance, weight, grinding diameter and flow rating. The resulting categorisation represents a pattern for the development of mechanism construction sets that takes into account the customers` requirements.
Evaluation of ecosystem services from urban forests in the City of Prague / Ocenění ekosystémových služeb městských lesů Hlavního města Prahy
Authors: Hájek Miroslav , Lípa Jan
Published: May 2015

Municipal forests primarily provide ecosystem services which are in demand by residents. If they are to meet the demands of Prague’s citizens, managers need good quality information and appropriate financial resources. One important piece of data is a valuation of all ecosystem services. The aim of this paper is to assess the current level of organisation and funding of forest management, estimate the value of forest functions and contribute to improvements in annual reporting by the Forests of the City of Prague. The results of the valuation could potentially be used for the improvement of decision making processes. The organisational structure (Centre of Forests, Watercourses and Reservoirs, Ornamental Nursery Management and Environmental Education) has been effective in delivering sustainable forest management in the City. In addition, forest management of the City of Prague has been independently certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) International Standard since May 2007.
Evaluating the progeny of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in the early years of growth
Authors: Banach Jacek , Skrzyszewska Kinga , Smętek Mateusz , Kubacki Kamil
Published: May 2015

This research was carried out on two experimental plots located in the Rymanów and Nawojowa forest districts. In the second and fifth year after planting, at three and six years of age respectively, survival and height of 25 beech progenies of selected seed stands were measured. Furthermore, we show the effect of beech origin and growth environment (significant ‘provenance × block’ and ‘provenance × test plot’ interactions). Beeches from both experimental plots differed significantly in growth and survival and this difference increased with tree age. The highest provenance heritability was obtained for the tree height after two years of growth in Rymanów. In Nawojowa, the heritability of beech survival reached zero after five years of growth. An evaluation of the stability of beech provenances (genotypes) in terms of survival and height under the habitat conditions of our experimental plots was done using the Finlay and Wilkinson method. The beech provenances of 469- Nawojowa and 452-Lesko (regional standard) were included as a stable basis for reference. A high degree of stability and high average values for the characteristics investigated indicate high progeny quality within these stands.
Radial growth variation between four provenances of Norway spruce in the conditions of central Poland
Authors: Klisz Marcin , Jastrzębowski Szymon , Chojnacka-Ożga Longina , Kowalczyk Jan
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this study was to determine the growth variability of four provenances of Picea abies on experimental plots in the Wyszków Forest District, central Poland. The experiment was established as a system of random blocks with four repetitions per block. We selected 48 trees from each provenance and the increment cores were colected from sample trees. Standard measurements of the width of annual increments were performed using the WinDendro software. Raw data was then indexed and subject to dendroclimatic analyses based on the average monthly temperatures and precipitation of the period from 1969 to 2012. Furthermore, the COFECHA software was used to check the consistency of the data and to determine the pointer years. High data consistency as well as growth variability of particular provenances in response to climatic conditions was observed. The results obtained here will allow for an improved selection of populations best suited for growing in the climate of central Poland
Occurrence of Erysiphe alphitoides in oak stands affected by flood disaster
Authors: Szewczyk Wojciech , Kuźmiński Robert , Mańka Małgorzata , Kwaśna Hanna , Łakomy Piotr , Baranowska-Wasilewska Marlena , Behnke-Borowczyk Jolanta
Published: May 2015

Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) is the most valuable deciduous tree species in Poland. For almost 30 years, an oak decline resulting from stress factors leading to a decrease of tree vitality in the long-term has been observed.

The aim of the present study was to determine the proportion of leaves infected by the fungus Erysiphe alphitoides, the cause of powdery mildew, in post-flood oak stands situated in the Forest District Wołów (51°32’N, 16°62’E) as well as to evaluate effects of powdery mildew with respect to the oak decline.

In order to record the powdery mildew incidence, we selec ted three trees in each of the ten investigated oak stands, and 200 leaves were collected from the upper part of the crowns. The percentage of infected leaves as well as the reduction of carbon assimilation capacity was assessed. Furthermore, we evaluated the average reduction of carbon assimilation capacity and the percentage of withering branch tips in 25 adjacent trees.

Incidences of powdery mildew were observed in seven out of the ten stands. The maximum tree damage did not exceed 22% leaf infection and mean defoliation within the study areas ranged from 18% to 61.4%. Non-withering branch tips were observed in one post-flood area as well as in one area situated outside the flooded region. Within the remaining areas studied, the average proportion of withering branch tips ranged from 0.4% to 13.8%.

Statistical analyses showed that differences between the investigated stands with regard to the rate of powdery mildew occurrence were not significant. Correlating the means, however, revealed a relationship between powdery mildew incidence and branch tip withering. This relationship is a possible indication of the ongoing oak dieback. No statistically significant relationship between tree defoliation and powdery mildew incidence was found. The lack of statistical significance, as observed here, implies that water stagnation within the investigated stands had no effect on Erysiphe alphitoides infection.
The 443-Year Tree-Ring Chronology for the Scots Pine from Upper Silesia (Poland) as A Dating Tool and Climate Proxy
Authors: Opała Magdalena
Published: May 2015

An annually resolved and absolutely dated ring-width chronology spanning 443 years has been constructed using the historical and living-tree Scots pine samples from the Upper Silesia, south of Poland. The constructed regional chronology, based on six object chronologies, covers the period of 1568-2010. It is composed of 178 wood samples with the mean correlation of 0.51, mean series length of 104 years and mean EPS of 0.85. In total, 65 extreme years were distinguished. Their inde-pendent verification, based on the historical and meteorological data, showed significant correlation with the exceptionally cold/mild winters as well as severe droughts. The comparison of the extreme years with the other Polish pine chronologies showed similarities in the years with the anomalous winter conditions. Some extreme years can be associated with the exceptional pluvial conditions; these years are common in the Central European hydroclimatic tree-ring records. The construction of this regional pine chronology enables for the absolute dating of many architectural monuments from investigated region. The application of the new chronology for the dating of local wood can support interpretations of changes in the environment of the Upper Silesian region. In the future it can also be used as the basis for climate reconstruction.
Long-term summer temperature variations in the Pyrenees from detrended stable carbon isotopes
Authors: Esper Jan , Konter Oliver , Krusic Paul J. , Saurer Matthias , Holzkämper Steffen , Büntgen Ulf
Published: May 2015

Substantial effort has recently been put into the development of climate reconstructions from tree-ring stable carbon isotopes, though the interpretation of long-term trends retained in such timeseries remains challenging. Here we use detrended δ13C measurements in Pinus uncinata tree-rings, from the Spanish Pyrenees, to reconstruct decadal variations in summer temperature back to the 13th century. The June-August temperature signal of this reconstruction is attributed using decadally as well as annually resolved, 20th century δ13C data. Results indicate that late 20th century warming has not been unique within the context of the past 750 years. Our reconstruction contains greater am-plitude than previous reconstructions derived from traditional tree-ring density data, and describes particularly cool conditions during the late 19th century. Some of these differences, including early warm periods in the 14th and 17th centuries, have been retained via δ13C timeseries detrending - a novel approach in tree-ring stable isotope chronology development. The overall reduced variance in earlier studies points to an underestimation of pre-instrumental summer temperature variability de-rived from traditional tree-ring parameters.
Debris-flow activity in five adjacent gullies in a limestone mountain range
Authors: Schraml Klaus , Oismüller Markus , Stoffel Markus , Hübl Johannes , Kaitna Roland
Published: May 2015

Debris-flows are infrequent geomorphic phenomena that shape steep valleys and can repre-sent a severe hazard for human settlements and infrastructure. In this study, a debris-flow event chro-nology has been derived at the regional scale within the Gesäuse National Park (Styria, Austria) using dendrogeomorphic techniques. Sediment sources and deposition areas were mapped by combined field investigation and aerial photography using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Through the analysis of 384 trees, a total of 47 debris-flows occurring in 19 years between AD 1903 and 2008 were identified in five adjacent gullies. Our results highlight the local variability of debris-flow activi-ty as a result of local thunderstorms and the variable availability of sediment sources.
Luminescence dating of loess deposits from the Remagen-Schwalbenberg site, Western Germany
Authors: Klasen Nicole , Fischer Peter , Lehmkuhl Frank , Hilgers Alexandra
Published: May 2015

This study describes the luminescence characteristics of quartz of Upper Pleistocene loess of the Middle Rhine area. The loess/palaeosol sequence of the Schwalbenberg near Remagen com-prises a multitude of interstadial soils and soil sediments that have been dedicated to the Marine Iso-tope Stage 3 (MIS 3). These weak calcaric cambisols and their derivates are underlain by loess and soil sediments of MIS 4 to MIS 5 and covered by loess sediments and intercalated gelic gleysols of MIS 2. We applied luminescence dating of quartz and feldspar of drill core samples and observed an age discrepancy within both data sets. The quartz ages were clearly younger than the feldspar ages, because of thermally unstable signal components of the quartz luminescence signal. Therefore, we re-garded the quartz samples of the lower parts of the drill core as unsuitable for luminescence dating. This underestimation did not affect the quartz samples of the upper part of the drill core which was indicated by age control that was provided by the Eltville tephra layer. Geochemical analysis based on X-ray fluorescence showed that the sediments in the upper part and the lower part of the drill core have different geogenic finger prints most likely due to changing source areas of dust and sediment allocation. We assumed that these different facies types were the reason for the luminescence behav-ior of the quartz samples.
“La chose maudite”. The concept of reification in George Bataille’s The Accursed Share
Authors: Duarte German A.
Published: May 2015

This paper deals with the concept of reification, which is analyzed taking into account two main lines of thought. The former is the Marxist theory of reification, which is similar to and converges with the concept of alienation. The latter focuses on the phenomenon of convention that allows us to deal with extra-linguistic objects, non-computable objects, aiming at producing a shared reality; in other words, to produce simulacra through mass media. This paper analyses in particular the transformation of the understanding of the concept of reification as enabled by Bataille’s work, The Accursed Share. In this work, George Bataille highlights the existence of the phenomenon of reification outside the relationships built by the capital.
Multivariate Analyses of Selected Mechanical Properties of Dry Bean Grain
Authors: Kibar Hakan
Published: May 2015

The direct shear test are widely used to measure the bulk material properties for economical design of bulk handling equipment and to estimate wall pressure inside storage structures, namely their bulk density, the angle of internal friction, shear strength, Poisson ratio, and lateral pressure ratios are required. Tests were conducted at thirty six different shear speeds (between 0.30-1.00 mm min-1) and three different normal stresses were applied (60, 120 and 180 kPa). The angle of internal friction, Poisson ratio, and lateral pressure ratios demonstrated fluctuations depending on the shear speeds. The results of the principal component analysis indicated that the first three principal components accounted for 97.40% of the total variability among the thirty six different shear speeds for all the traits investigated. The first principal component was the most important. In the result of principal component analysis, the shear speeds were divided into seven clusters. The pressures were decreased and increased with the change of the angle of internal friction and the lateral pressure ratio. The data obtained from the study will be useful in the structural design of dry bean bins to calculate loads on bins from the stored material and grain handling equipment.
Optimization of Ultrasound Assisted Extraction of Functional Ingredients from Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni Leaves
Authors: Šic Žlabur Jana , Voća Sandra , Dobričević Nadica , Brnčić Mladen , Dujmić Filip , Rimac Brnčić Suzana
Published: May 2015

The aim of the present study was to reveal an effective extraction procedure for maximization of the yield of steviol glycosides and total phenolic compounds as well as antioxidant activity in stevia extracts. Ultrasound assisted extraction was compared with conventional solvent extraction. The examined solvents were water (100°C/24 h) and 70% ethanol (at 70°C for 30 min). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of steviol glycosides in the extracts obtained were performed using high performance liquid chromatography. Total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and radical scavenging capacity by 2, 2-azino-di-3-ethylbenzothialozine- sulphonic acid) assay were also determined. The highest content of steviol glycosides, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids in stevia extracts were obtained when ultrasound assisted extraction was used. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was correlated with the total amount of phenolic compounds. The results indicated that the examined sonication parameters represented as the probe diameter (7 and 22 mm) and treatment time (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min) significantly contributed to the yield of steviol glycosides, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. The optimum conditions for the maximum yield of steviol glycosides, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids were as follows: extraction time 10 min, probe diameter 22 mm, and temperature 81.2°C.
Effects of Rain Intensity and Initial Soil Moisture on Hydrological Responses in Laboratory Conditions
Authors: Darvishan Abdulvahed Khaledi , Banasik Kazimierz , Sadeghi Seyed Hamidreza , Gholami Leila , Hejduk Leszek
Published: May 2015

Although the possibility of measuring and analysing all parts of the rainfall, infiltration, runoff, and erosion process as a natural hydrologic cycle in field conditions is still one of the more unattainable goals in the hydrological sciences, it can be accomplished in laboratory conditions as a way to understand the whole process. The initial moisture content is one of the most effective factors on soil infiltration, runoff, and erosion responses. The present research was conducted on a 2 m2 laboratory plot at a slope of 9% on a typical sandy-loam soil. The effects of the initial soil moisture content on the infiltration, runoff, and erosion processes were studied at four levels of initial soil moisture content (12, 25, 33, and 40 volumetric percentage) and two rainfall intensities (60 and 120 mm h-1). The results showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) correlation between rainfall intensity and downstream splash, with r = 0.87. The results reflected the theory of hydrological responses, showing significant (p ≤ 0.05) correlations with r =-0.93, 0.98, -0.83, 0.88, and 0.73 between the initial soil moisture content and the time-to-runoff, runoff coefficient, drainage as a part of the infiltrated water, downstream splash, and total outflow sediment, respectively.
Extruded Bread Classification on the Basis of Acoustic Emission Signal With Application of Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Świetlicka Izabela , Muszyński Siemowit , Marzec Agata
Published: May 2015

The presented work covers the problem of developing a method of extruded bread classification with the application of artificial neural networks. Extruded flat graham, corn, and rye breads differening in water activity were used. The breads were subjected to the compression test with simultaneous registration of acoustic signal. The amplitude-time records were analyzed both in time and frequency domains. Acoustic emission signal parameters: single energy, counts, amplitude, and duration acoustic emission were determined for the breads in four water activities: initial (0.362 for rye, 0.377 for corn, and 0.371 for graham bread), 0.432, 0.529, and 0.648. For classification and the clustering process, radial basis function, and self-organizing maps (Kohonen network) were used. Artificial neural networks were examined with respect to their ability to classify or to cluster samples according to the bread type, water activity value, and both of them. The best examination results were achieved by the radial basis function network in classification according to water activity (88%), while the self-organizing maps network yielded 81% during bread type clustering.
Contrasted Effects of Biochar on Maize Growth and N Use Efficiency Depending on Soil Conditions
Authors: Zhu Qiaohong , Peng Xinhua , Huang Taiqing
Published: May 2015

Biochar amendment may improve crop growth through its nutrients and indirect fertility. However, this improvement varies in a wide range of biochars, crops, and soils. Our objectives were to determine the response of crop growth to biochar amendment and to assess the N use efficiency relative to the biochar and the soil types. In this pot experiment, we investigated five typical agricultural soils in China amended with two biochars. Four treatments were designed: the soil itself as a control, the soil amended with 1% biochar, the soil with fertilizer NPK, and the soil with added biochar and fertilizer. Biochar amendment increased the maize biomass and the N use efficiency in the red soil (p<0.05) but not in the other four soils (p>0.05). In the red soil, the biomass under biochar+NPK was 2.67-3.49 times higher than that of only NPK, and 1.48-1.62 times higher than that of only biochar amendment, 21-36 and 35-42% of which were contributed from biochar fertility and indirect fertility, respectively. This study indicates that biochar amendment is very plausible for the red soil but has a minor or even negative effect on the other four soils in China.
Growing Season Length as a Key Factor of Cumulative Net Ecosystem Exchange Over the Pine Forest Ecosystems in Europe
Authors: Danielewska Alina , Urbaniak Marek , Olejnik Janusz
Published: May 2015

The Scots pine is one of the most important species in European and Asian forests. Due to a widespread occurrence of pine forests, their significance in the energy and mass exchange between the Earth surface and the atmosphere is also important, particularly in the context of climate change and greenhouse gases balance. The aim of this work is to present the relationship between the average annual net ecosystem productivity and growing season length, latitude and air temperature (tay) over Europe. Therefore, CO2 flux measurement data from eight European pine dominated forests were used. The observations suggest that there is a correlation between the intensity of CO2 uptake or emission by a forest stand and the above mentioned parameters. Based on the obtained results, all of the selected pine forest stands were CO2 sinks, except a site in northern Finland. The carbon dioxide uptake increased proportionally with the increase of growing season length (9.212 g C m-2 y-1 per day of growing season, R2 = 0.53, p = 0.0399). This dependency showed stronger correlation and higher statistical significance than both relationships between annual net ecosystem productivity and air temperature (R2 = 0.39, p = 0.096) and annual net ecosystem productivity and latitude (R2 = 0.47, p = 0.058). The CO2 emission surpassed assimilation in winter, early spring and late autumn. Moreover, the appearance of late, cold spring and early winter, reduced annual net ecosystem productivity. Therefore, the growing season length can be considered as one of the main factor affecting the annual carbon budget of pine forests.
Effects of Vermicompost and Water Treatment Residuals on Soil Physical Properties and Wheat Yield
Authors: Ibrahim Mahmoud M. , Mahmoud Essawy K. , Ibrahim Doaa A.
Published: May 2015

The application of vermicompost and water treatment residuals to improve the physical properties in the salt affected soils is a promising technology to meet the requirements of high plant growth and cost-effective reclamation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vermicompost and its mixtures with water treatment residuals on selected physical properties of saline sodic soil and on wheat yield. The treatments were vermicompost, water treatment residuals, vermicompost + water treatment residuals (1:1 and 2:1 wet weight ratio) at levels of 5 and 10 g dry weight kg-1 dry soil. The considered physical properties included aggregate stability, mean weight diameter, pore size distribution and dry bulk density. The addition of vermicompost and water treatment residuals had significant positive effects on the studied soil physical properties, and improved the grain yield of wheat. The treatment of (2 vermicompost + 1 water treatment residuals) at level of 5 g kg-1 soil gave the best grain yield. Combination of vermicompost and water treatment residuals improved the water treatment residuals efficiency in ameliorating the soil physical properties, and could be considered as an ameliorating material for the reclamation of salt affected soils.
Effects of Tillage, Rotation and Cover Crop on the Physical Properties of a Silt-Loam Soil
Authors: Haruna Samuel Idoko , Nkongolo Nsalambi Vakanda
Published: May 2015

Soil and crop management practices can affect the physical properties and have a direct impact on soil sustainability and crop performance. The objective of this study was to investigate how soil physical properties were affected by three years of tillage, cover crop and crop rotation treatments in a corn and soybean field. The study was conducted on a Waldron siltyloam soil at Lincoln University of Missouri. Soil physical properties studied were soil bulk density, volumetric and gravimetric water contents, volumetric air content, total pore space, air-filled and water-filled pore space, gas diffusion coefficient and pore tortuosity factor. Results showed significant interactions (p<0.05) between cover crop and crop rotation for bulk density, gravimetric and total pore space in 2013. In addition, cover crop also significantly interacted (p<0.05) with tillage for bulk density and total pore space. All soil physical properties studied were significantly affected by the depth of sampling (p<0.0001), except for bulk density, the pore tortuosity factor and total pore space in 2012, and gravimetric and volumetric in 2013. Overall, soil physical properties were significantly affected by the treatments, with the effects changing from one year to another. Addition of a cover crop improved soil physical properties better in rotation than in monoculture.
Rozhľady. Konštituovanie Hindčiny Ako Úradného Jazyka Indie
Authors: Nagy Peter
Published: May 2015

The article deals with the Hindi language and its use as a language for official purposes from the late Middle Ages until its implementation in the Constitution of India in the year 1949. It reveals various ideas for promoting Hindi as a national (official) language of India. The main focus is on the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi on Hindi as the lingua franca of India and its role in the replacement of English. Further it describes the process and struggle of its implementation as the official language in the Constituent Assembly of India and concludes with the compromise made by this Assembly.
A coupled model of partial differential equations for uranium ores heap leaching and its parameters identification
Authors: Zhang Wen , Sun Zhanxue , Wang Zewen , Hu Kangxiu
Published: May 2015

In this article, we consider a mathematical modelling problem in engineering of uranium ores heap leaching. Firstly, we deduce a mathematical model of uranium ores heap leaching by combining solute transportation equations with microbial chemical reactions. Secondly, an inverse problem, which is solved by the optimal perturbation method together with the Tikhonov regularization, is considered for identifying the parameters of the proposed mathematical model. Finally, numerical simulations are given for the forward problem and the inverse problem to show the pattern of uranium ores microbial heap leaching and verify the effectiveness of parameters identification, respectively.
Elektrochemické a spektroskopické studium oxidù na žáropevných ocelích exponovaných v superkritické vodì/ The electrochemical and spectroscopic study of oxides on creep resistant steels exposed to supercritical water
Authors: Macák J. , Sajdl P. , Krausová A. , Bystrianský V. , Tůma L. , Zychová M. , Lapčák L.
Published: May 2015

Použití superkritické vody v energetice je motivováno zvýšením tepelné účinnosti energetického cyklu. Důsledkem vyšší účinnosti je snížení specifi ckých emisí CO2. Superkritické energetické cykly byly proto zařazeny mezi čisté uhelné technologie (CCT - Clean Coal Technology). Vzhledem ke korozní agresivitě superkritické vody je základním požadavkem volba správného konstrukčního materiálu. Všechny typy ocelí, testovaných v této studii, byly použity při konstrukci komponent superkritického energetického bloku. Ke studiu byly vybrány celkem čtyři typy žáropevných ocelí, z toho dva typy austenitických ocelí a dva typy feriticko-martenzitických ocelí. Vzorky těchto ocelí byly exponovány za superkritických podmínek (580 °C, 25 MPa) v experimentální smyčce po dobu 12 až 50 hodin. Zároveň byl zkoumán vliv počáteční fáze expozic - tedy vliv ohřevu z okolní teploty na provozní parametry. Chemické složení a přenosové vlastnosti oxidických vrstev, tvořících se během interakce se superkritickou vodou (SCW), byly studovány ex-situ pomocí elektrochemických metod a povrchových analýz (XPS a Ramanova spektroskopie). Elektrochemické testy zahrnovaly Mott-Schottkyho analýzu založenou na měření impedance v závislosti na elektrodovém potenciálu. Tvar Mott-Schottkyho závislostí sloužil ke kvantitativní charakterizaci polovodivého chování oxidů. Oxidy na všech typech ocelí vykazovaly polovodivé chování jak typu N, tak typu P. Vlastnosti oxidů, zejména hustota poruch a chemické složení, závisí významně na způsobu najetí krátkodobé superkritické expozice.
Hodnocení vlivu pøipravených polyanilinových solí na korozní vlastnosti organických povlakù/ Assessment of the impact of polyaniline salts on corrosion properties of organic coatings
Authors: Kohl M. , Kalendová A.
Published: May 2015

Vodivé polymery včetně významného zástupce polyanilinu (PANI) patří v současné době k vysoce zkoumaným látkám v řadě oborů. Díky snadné přípravě, netoxicitě a vysoké stabilitě se zkoumá i jeho využití ve formulaci organických povlaků. Cílem této práce je vyhodnocení vlivu polyanilinových solí na korozní vlastnosti ochranných organických povlaků pomocí zrychlených korozních zkoušek a techniky lineární polarizace (LP). Polyanilinové sole byly připraveny oxidační polymerací v kyselém prostředí, kdy jako dopující kyselina byla použita kyselina fosforečná (H3PO4), kyselina sírová (H2SO4) a kyselina chlorovodíková (HCl). Celkem tedy byly připraveny tři typy polyanilinových solí: PANI-H3PO4, PANI-H2SO4 a PANI-HCl, které byly charakterizovány na základě fyzikálně chemických metod a dále byly použity pro formulaci organických povlaků, při hodnotách objemové koncentrace pigmentu (OKP) = 0,1; 0,5; 1; 2; 3; 5; 10; 15; 20 % a kritické objemové koncentrace pigmentu (KOKP). Výsledky zrychlené korozní zkoušky i metody lineární polarizace ukazují, že typ i objemová koncentrace polyanilinových solí má významný vliv na výsledné korozní vlastnosti organického povlaku. Z výsledků je zřejmé, že především nízké hodnoty OKP jednotlivých polyanilinových solí mají pozitivní dopad na výsledné korozní vlastnosti v porovnání s nepigmentovaným organickým povlakem.
Složení a degradace omítek historického objektu Kláštera Želiv/ Composition and degradation of plasters from the historical Želiv monastery
Authors: Rezek P. , Martinec P.
Published: May 2015

Příspěvek se zabývá charakteristikou omítek odebraných v historickém objektu Kláštera Želiv. Cílem tohoto výzkumu bylo získat informace o původních surovinách a stanovit druh poškození na fasádě zkoumaného objektu. Bylo použito zejména termické analýzy a infračervené spektrometrie, jež umožňují identifi kovat materiály pojiv, v některých případech i pomoci určit druh jejich poškození (resp. zasolení). Byly zkoumány 4 vzorky pojiv omítek. Analýzy historických omítek mohou případně v budoucnu napomoci vyhledat a aplikovat kompatibilní hmotu. Byly kvalitativně i kvantitativně stanoveny primární složky odebraných omítek a stanoveny hlavní příčiny jejich degradace. Komplexní hodnocení složení a degradace omítek vyžaduje využití široké škály analytických metod.
The Limits of Moral Intuitions for Human Rights Advocacy
Authors: Woods Andrew K.
Published: May 2015

The central ambition of human rights advocacy is to get people to care, who might otherwise not, about the suffering of others. To accomplish this, human rights advocates often appeal to moral intuitions by telling stories that evoke moral outrage, indignation, or guilt. Are these sorts of appeals a good way to promote human rights? The conventional wisdom suggests that they are. But perhaps the conventional wisdom is incomplete – perhaps human rights advocates should treat moral intuitions with skepticism rather than uncritical embrace. In this brief essay, I argue that appeals to moral intuitions are problematic because moral intuitions can lead people to make decisions that are suboptimal from the standpoint of the human rights regime’s goals. I attempt to show, in other words, that one of the great assets of the human rights regime – its ability to harness our strong intuitive reaction to the suffering of others – is also one of its great limitations. To make this argument, I draw from the mind sciences literature on moral decision-making. The latest research in this domain suggests that our moral intuitions are fallible. A number of studies have shown, for example, that moral outrage and indignation can cause people to make decisions that they would not defend under cooler conditions. I focus on three particular sorts of moral judgment biases and explore their implications for human rights advocacy. I then evaluate two different normative claims one might make about these moral judgment biases and offer several concluding thoughts.
Biomedical Cognitive Enhancements: Coercion, Competition and Inducements
Authors: Lev Ori
Published: May 2015

There is an ongoing debate over the ethical permissibility of using biomedical enhancement interventions. This debate has generated a variety of concerns; one worry that stands out in this regard is the question of coercion. Curiously, although pointed out by many, this concern has not received close scrutiny. The aim of this paper is to begin addressing this conceptual gap. In order to explore this concern, I employ Alan Wertheimer’s understanding of coercion. According to Wertheimer’s account coercion involves a wrongful threat in which one has little choice but to succumb. Moreover, the wrongfulness of the threat stems from the fact that it violates the coercee’s rights. I suggest that if one accepts this account, it follows that coercing people to enhance would be impermissible. Using this framework, the paper assesses the claim that competition over jobs, goods, and positions coerces people to enhance. I argue, however, that competition pursued within a proper legal framework cannot be coercive since it neither involves a wrongful threat nor violates a person’s rights. Nonetheless, I propose that although competition is not coercive, enhancing because of competitive pressure can be morally problematic as it could restrict personal autonomy and harm well-being. The paper explores strategies the State could devise in order to address both these concerns. The paper then examines whether there are noncoercive permissible ways to induce people to cognitively enhance. Using a number of hypothetical cases, I delineate criteria that could be used to determine whether a particular enhancement should be considered mandatory or otherwise encouraged. Specifically, I consider the circumstances under which it would be justified to use incentives and penalties in order to induce people to enhance.
The Human Mind and Human Rights: A Call for an Integrative Study of the Mechanisms Generating Employment Discrimination across Different Social Categories
Authors: Feldman Yuval , Kricheli-Katz Tami
Published: May 2015

The paper highlights how our knowledge about the manner the human mind works and people behave in social interactions may contribute to our understanding of employment discrimination and provide effective ways to address it. It calls for a rigorous empirical study of the mechanisms generating different forms of discrimination against disadvantaged groups and the implications that follow for law and policy. The paper’s focus is theoretical, criticizing the current state of research on employment discrimination and calling for an integrative approach to the research in this area. In particular, the paper criticizes the lack of mutual communication among the various disciplines that study discrimination. Over-reliance on one type of methodology limits scholars’ ability to address nuances of most discriminatory settings. We criticize the “one policy fits all” approach, in which discrimination against all types of disadvantaged groups is viewed as capturing all types of discrimination as well as the lack of truly accounting for the interplay between deliberative and automatic modes of reasoning. The paper suggests that adopting an integrative perspective would raise awareness among policy-makers and employers to variations in the effects of social categories on hiring, promotion, and firing practices.
Is the hydrological function of Lake Wigry changing?
Authors: Bajkiewicz-Grabowska Elżbieta
Published: May 2015

The paper considers whether in recent years there have been changes in the structure of the water circulation in Lake Wigry, the main water body of the Wigry National Park. The volume and trends in the streams of water exchange in the lake have been assessed. They show that in recent years the horizontal water exchange is being reduced as the inflow to the lake is growing, mainly due to its main tributary, the Czarna Hańcza, while the outflow from the lake is decreasing. The paper examines whether these changes are reflected in the structure of the lake water circulation, which has been assessed on the basis of the lake water balance
Plant available moisture content in soils of Belarus under the current conditions
Authors: Volchak Aleksandr A. , Kirvel Ivan
Published: May 2015

One of the soil fertility parameters is water content in the root zone; therefore the estimation of the transformation of water resources in mineral soils of Belarus is rather relevant. The analysis of plant available moisture content (PAMC) was conducted for the topsoil layer of 50 cm thickness for the period of monitoring from 1960 until 2001. Results were submitted as maps on the basis of which the spatial and time variability of the PAMC was estimated. The quantitative estimation of changes in the plant available moisture content was carried out with the help of gradients of linear trends
Potential Of VIRAC* RT-32 And RT-16 Antennas To Serve As Satellite Ground Station
Authors: Bleiders M. , Trokss J. , Elerts M.
Published: May 2015

The basic application of RT-32 and RT-16 parabolic antennas is radio astronomy observations, both the radio-telescopes have been upgraded with state-of-the art cryogenic receivers, and now a large-scale modernization of the infrastructure is underway. Since the radio-astronomical observations are not full-time activities, a research work has been done to clear up whether these antennas, besides the mentioned activities, can be used as a satellite ground station. The main goal of this added functionality is to make possible the use of the extremely high reception systems’ figure-of-merit thus raising the satellite downlink data rates without increasing the on-board power consumption, which would be particularly important for developers of small satellites. In this paper, the progress in the research project is reported, which includes successful S-band satellite signal reception experiments and possible options as to integration of the related equipment into the system so that both functionalities could successfully coexist. Performance of the existing and the upgraded antenna positioning systems is estimated to determine if the latter are usable even for servicing low-Earth orbiting satellites. In addition, possible options are considered as to upgrading the system with automatic beam tracking capability, which would increase the antenna pointing accuracy even further.
Trefoil factor 3 as a marker of intestinal cell damage during sepsis
Authors: Žurek Jiří , Kýr Michal , Vavřina Martin , Fedora Michal
Published: May 2015

Objective: Gastrointestinal dysfunction or gut
failure frequently occurs in seriously ill patients and can
be responsible for multi-organ failure. Trefoil factor 3
(TFF3) was characterized for its role in reconstitution of an
epithelial barrier after mucosal injury in the jejunum. The
aims of our study was an analysis of TFF3 levels dynamics
in patients with sepsis and the correlation of TFF3 with
severity of sepsis and mortality.

Methods: Prospective observational study, a ten days evaluation
period in children aged 0-19 years with systemic
inflammatory response syndrome or septic state. Blood
tests to determine levels of TFF3 were obtained as long
as the patient met the criteria for systemic inflammatory
response syndrome or sepsis.

Results: Analysis of dynamics revealed steady levels of
TFF3 during the 10 day period evaluated. TFF3 levels
could not differentiate between various septic conditions
in patients until a marked organ dysfunction developed.
Higher Area Under Curve was noticed between control
group and patients with sepsis. We could not make any
strong conclusions based on mortality model.

Conclusions: Levels of TFF3 are elevated in paediatric
patients with sepsis through organ dysfunction.
Dermatology patients’ and their doctors’ representations about adherence
Authors: Szabó Csanád , Kemény Lajos , Csabai Márta
Published: May 2015

The aim of our study was to identify representations
about patient adherence among dermatologists
(N=40) and their patients (N=153). A combined
qualitative-quantitative methodology was applied.
Dermatologists identified good doctor-patient relationship,
information from the doctor, and background information
as the most important determinants of adherence.
In patients’ rankings, information from the doctor
and understandable communication received the highest
scores. Multidimensional scaling arranged patients’
results into four content groups which helped to reveal the
structure of the representations. Our results may contribute
to the evidence-based confirmation that transparency
of views and expectations in doctor-patient communication
is a basic determinant of successful adherence.
A Multistage Agglomerative Approach for Defining Functional Regions of the Czech Republic: The Use of 2001 Commuting Data/ Vícestupňový aglomerační přístup k vymezení funkčních regionů České republiky: využití údajů o dojížďce z roku 2001
Authors: Klapka Pavel , Halás Marián , Erlebach Martin , Tonev Petr , Bednář Marek
Published: May 2015

The issue of defining functional regions in the Czech Republic is presented in this paper, which contributes to both theoretical discussions (e.g. the modifiable areal unit problem) and practical applications (e.g. spatial administration, regional planning). A multistage agglomerative approach to functional regional taxonomy is applied, which has been used in Czech geographical research for the first time only recently. The regionalisation algorithm provided four optional solutions for this issue, based on the analysis of daily travel-to-work flows from the 2001 census. The resulting regions correspond to the micro-regional level and two additional tiers were identified at this level. The basic statistics for all variants are presented.
Urban Brownfields in Estonia: Scope, Consequences and Redevelopment Barriers as Perceived by Local Governments/ Urbánní brownfieldy v Estonsku: rozsah, dopady a revitalizační bariéry z pohledu městských samospráv
Authors: Tintěra Jiří , Ruus Aime , Tohvri Epi , Kotval Zenia
Published: May 2015

Awareness of brownfields is limited in Estonia. In fact, there is no specific term officially used for brownfields at present. The aim of this study is to examine concerns in the redevelopment of brownfields and to present preliminary findings regarding the scope, consequences and redevelopment barriers of Estonian urban brownfields, as perceived and assessed by local authorities. The perceived importance of the negative impacts of brownfields on urban space is more than the mere number of brownfields and their total area, as it is influenced by the presence of other negative socioeconomic phenomena, such as local unemployment or population decline. According to municipal authorities, major barriers to the redevelopment of Estonian urban brownfields, besides the economic issues, are both the lack of knowledge regarding state and local measures and tools to help the public sector deal with brownfields, and the common perception that brownfields re-development is a private sector issue.