bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First record of parasitism of water mite larva (Acari: Hydrachnidia) on the pupa of Trichoptera
Authors: Buczyńska Edyta , Buczyński Paweł , Zawal Andrzej , Michoński Grzegorz , Szlauer-Łukaszewska Agnieszka
Published: April 2015

During the studies on ecology of Trichoptera of anthropogenic water bodies we have unexpectedly discovered the parasitic larvae of water mites of the species Tiphys torris on the pupa of Triaenodes bicolor. This is the first documented case of the parasitism of water mites on the caddisfly pupa as well as the first ever record of the species which is regarded as a dipteran parasite on caddisflies. The situation is very untypical for preimaginal stages of caddisflies are used by phoretic and not parasitic water mite larvae. Parasitism has been confirmed in this case by the formation of stylostomes and enlarged sizes of the bodies of the larvae. This is probably the case of facultative parasitism in which the pupa has served as a substitute of the adult form of a caddisfly.
Frequencies of dhfr/dhps multiple mutations and Plasmodium falciparum submicroscopic gametocyte carriage in Gabonese pregnant women following IPTp-SP implementation
Authors: Bouyou-Akotet Marielle K. , Tshibola Marie-Louise , Mawili-Mboumba Denise P. , Nzong Julie , Bahamontes-Rosa Noemi , Tsoumbou-Bakana Gladys , Kombila Maryvonne
Published: April 2015

This study analyzed the relationship between intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) (IPTp-SP), the rate of multiple resistant parasites and of submicroscopic gametocyte carriage among pregnant women at the beginning of IPTp implementation in Gabon (2005) and six years after (2011). The detection of pfdhfr and pfdhps gene mutations was performed by PCR-RFLP in Plasmodium (P.) falciparum positive samples collected from pregnant women in 2005 and 2011. Gametocytes carriage was detected by Pfs25mRNA amplification using QT-NASBA. Data were analyzed according to the time of collection (study period) and IPTp-SP doses. The proportion of isolates with at least a triple Pfdhfr mutation (n = 39/42, 92.9% versus 100%, n = 78/78)) and of those isolates with the S108N/C59R/N51I/S436A/A437G multiple mutation (17.9% versus 75.6%) significantly increased between 2005 and 2011 (p<0.01). Mutations I164L and A581G were not found, while higher proportions of 436 and 437 mutations were detected in 2011.A trend toward a higher frequency of isolates with five mutations was observed in women who received two SP doses (p<0.01). Pfs25mRNA was found in 6.8 % (n = 3/44) and 34.6% (n = 27/78) of the samples collected in 2005 and 2011 respectively (p<0.01). In 2011, 74.0% (n = 20/27) of women with detected submicroscopic gametocytes carried parasites with the S108N/C59R/N51/S436A/A437G multiple mutation. All the ten delivering women who received three IPTp-SP doses had a submicroscopic Plasmodium falciparum infection, but none had detected gametocytes. Following IPTp-SP implementation, an increase in the frequency of multiple mutant parasites and of submicroscopic gametocyte carriage was observed among pregnant women living in Gabon.
Preliminary analysis of Plasmodium vivax genotypes isolated in southeastern Turkey
Authors: Döşkaya Aysu Değirmenci , Döşkaya Mert , Caner Ayşe , Gül Kadri , Nergiz Şebnem , Can Hüseyin , Gürüz Yüksel
Published: April 2015

Plasmodium vivax is the most common cause of malaria worldwide as well as southeastern Turkey. After the implementation of a successful national elimination program that the local malaria cases were not reported in 2011, malaria returned to county of Savur located in southeastern Turkey in summer of 2012. The present study aimed to determine the prevalent P. vivax genotypes isolated from southeastern Turkey. Genetic polymorphism in P. vivax CSP gene was analyzed by PCR-RFLP to assess the ratio of VK210 and VK247 types. Blood samples were obtained from 15 patients who lived in southeastern between 2005-2006. According to the results, VK210 type was detected in 10 samples (66.6%), VK247 type was observed in three samples (20%). Remaining two samples showed mixed infection (13.3%). The results of the present study first time showed the ratio of P. vivax genotypes in southeastern Turkey before the elimination in 2011. The results of the present study will be enable researchers to compare the new isolates with the previously detected ones and design new treatment and/elimination strategies.
A new species of the feather mite genus Dubininia Vassilev, 1958 (Acari: Xolalgidae) from the Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius (Falconiformes: Falconidae)
Authors: Dabert Jacek , Mironov Sergei V.
Published: April 2015

A new feather mite species Dubininia microhieracis sp. n. (Analgoidea: Xolalgidae) is described from the Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius (Drapiez) (Falconiformes: Falconidae) from Java. This is the second species of the genus Dubininia found on falconiform hosts; most known species of this genus are associated with parrots (Psittaciformes).
Seroepidemiological study of Neospora caninum in beef and dairy cattle in La Pampa, Argentina
Authors: Fort Marcelo , Edelsten Martyn , Maley Stephen , Innes Elisabeth
Published: April 2015

Neospora caninum is considered one of the major causes of abortion in cattle. The aim of this study was to examine and quantify the extent of the infection in cattle in a representative region of Argentina (La Pampa, province). An average sample size of 36 sera per herd was selected from 97 beef and 24 dairy herds. A total of 4334 serum samples were tested for specific anti- Neospora caninum IgG using an indirect-ELISA and 302 seropositive-ELISA sera were re-examined using an Avidity-ELISA procedure for N.caninum. The overall estimated seroprevalence for N.caninun was 9.6% (95%CI: 8.7%; 10.5%). Levels of seroprevalence were significantly different in beef 7.0% and dairy 20.3% cattle. Disease distribution seems to be associated with climatic conditions as well as the management system. Cows in the east and central regions were at a 4.5-fold and 2.0-fold higher risk, respectively, of being N. caninum seropositive compared with cows in west region. Levels of recent infection were evaluated through an avidity ELISA in seropositive animals, being registered a 0.56% and a 1.71% of recent infection in beef and dairy cattle respectively (p = 0.006). The results revealed that dairy cows had 3.1(95%CI: 1.4; 7.0) higher risk of contracting Neoporosis through horizontal transmission than beef cows. A relationship between Brucella abortus and N. caninum seroprevalence was also observed. The risk of being N. caninum seropositive was two times higher where Brucellosis seroprevalence was >3.5%. These results reveal the distribution of N. caninum infection in the cattle population in La Pampa, Argentina
Coccidiosis in European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus algirus) populations in the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Silva Sofia Marques , Ferreira Catarina , Paupério Joana , Silva Rodolfo Miguel , Alves Paulo Célio , Lemos Armando
Published: April 2015

The European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is a keystone species from the Iberian Peninsula where viral diseases have played a prominent role in regulating their populations. Coccidiosis, a parasitic disease caused primarily by Eimeria spp., is also thought to have important negative effects. However, few studies have investigated the impact of coccidia on wild European rabbit populations on the Iberian Peninsula. Here we estimate coccidian prevalence in rabbit faecal samples collected along transects established in two ecological regions. Six Eimeria species, with different pathogenicity, were identified (E. coecicola, E. perforans, E media, E. magna, E. irresidua and E. flavescens). Species diversity varied significantly between regions although mean oocyst excretion levels were generally low in both areas (57.61 s.d.±78.07 and 17.03 s.d.±27.72, oocyst per gram of rabbit faeces). This study is the first to describe the composition of the Eimeria spp. assemblage for wild rabbit populations on the Iberian Peninsula and provides fundamental information for future studies on the potential interaction of viral and parasitic diseases.
Performance criteria of the post-analytical phase
Authors: Sikaris Kenneth
Published: April 2015

Quality in healthcare is ideally at an optimal benchmark, but must be at least above the minimal standards for care. While laboratory quality is ideally judged in clinical terms, laboratory medicine has also used biological variations and state-of-the-art criteria when, as is often the case, clinical outcome studies or clinical consensus are not available. The post-analytical phase involves taking quality technical results and providing the means for clinical interpretation in the report. Reference intervals are commonly used as a basis for data interpretation; however, laboratories vary in the reference intervals they use, even when analysis is similar. Reference intervals may have greater clinical value if they are both optimised to account for physiological individuality, as well as if they are harmonised through professional consensus. Clinical decision limits are generally superior to reference intervals as a basis for interpretation because they address the specific clinical concern in any patient. As well as providing quality data and interpretation, the knowledge of laboratory experts can be used to provide targeted procedural knowledge in a patient report. Most profoundly critically abnormal results should to be acted upon to minimise the risk of mortality. The three steps in quality report interpretation, (i) describing the abnormal data, (ii) interpreting the clinical information within that data and (iii) providing knowledge for clinical follow-up, highlight that the quality of all laboratory testing is reflected in its impact on clinical management and improving patient outcomes.
Ritual revolutions: Temple and Trust networks linking Putian and Southeast Asia / 仪式革命： 联结莆田与 东南亚的寺庙与信任网 络
Authors: Dean Kenneth
Published: April 2015

This paper examines the historical formation and contemporary flourishing of certain temple and trust networks that emerged from the Xinghua area along the coast of Fujian province in the late 19thcentury, and spread across Southeast Asia over the last 150 years. This article examines three out of at least eight different networks that spread from this region to Southeast Asia (Fujiangsheng, Putianshi difangzhi, 2001). These are the 1) Spirit medium Altar Association networks; 2) extended lineage networks; and 3) Buddhist master-disciple networks. These ritual “trust networks” were constructed from cosmopolitical ritual technologies that were transportable, like the portable altar of a Daoist priest, the incense ash of a local god’s temple, methods of collective spirit medium training, or rites conducted before the spirit tablet of an ancestor or a master monk. This paper shows how these ritual methods were employed in a great variety of different political and multi-ethnic settings around Southeast Asia. These networks had a powerful impact on their founding villages and local cultures as well. Rather than simply preserving traditional forms, these networks engaged in continuous ritual revolution, constantly negotiating the forces of modernity within evolving ritual contexts.
Missionary Encounters at the China-Vietnam Border: The case of the Hmong / 中越边境的传教士活 动---以赫蒙人为例
Authors: Ngo Tam
Published: April 2015

This paper examines missionary encounters that faciliate the extraordinary conversion of nearly one third of approximately one million Hmong in Vietnam to Evangelical Protestantism in the last two decades. Since this conversion is not officially approved by the Vietnamese government, these missionary encounters and the networks that facilitate them are highly informal and largely underground. This paper argues that the informality of Hmong evangelical networks as well as the conversion that they facilitate can only be fully understood if one seriously takes into account their ethnic and transnational aspects. Ethnic ties are important factors that motivate overseas Hmong to carry out missionary work in Vietnam, and such ties are also the primary reason why evangelism, carried out by Hmong missionaries, was and is so readily accepted by so many Hmong people in the country. In other words, it is from an ethnic aspiration to change their group’s marginal position and to become modern that many Hmong in Vietnam decide to convert to Christianity. Similarly, the missionary zeal of many American Hmong Christians is connected to their ethnic commitment to the Hmong in Asia while simultaneously shaped by their conversion to Protestantism during and after their migration to America. In this paper, I will show that it is also because of an ethnic commitment that many Hmong missionaries undertake the risk and danger to evangelize in Vietnam.
Three Tongues and Two Identities: A Case Study of Ersu Ethnic Identities in Sichuan, China / 三种语言和两种认同 中国四川藏族尔苏人族群认同的个案研究
Authors: Da Wu
Published: April 2015

Apart from their mother tongue, most Ersu people can speak their two neighboring languages, Mandarin and the Nuosu Yi language, fluently. Therefore, the Ersu people have three languages. In the beginning of the 1980s, two ethnic identities among the Ersu people emerged. Some of them recognize themselves as being of Tibetan nationality, while others requested to be recognized as a distinct minzu (nationality or ethnic group). The writing system used by the Ersu people played an essential role in the dispute. The Tibetan canons used by the religious practitioners of the Ersu people, Shuvuer, strengthened the Ersu people’s identification with the Tibetans, while the Shaaba hieroglyph used by another type of religious practitioners of the Ersu people, Shaaba, stressed the uniqueness of the Ersu culture. Focusing on the use of the two writing systems of the Ersu people, this paper offers an analysis of this kind of ethnic dispute which is based on “subjective identification” and “imagined communities” from the perspective of reconstructionist ethnic theory in anthropology.
Creating a Common Fate: The Negotiation Meeting of the Bai’s Ethnonym / 制造共同命运:以“白族”族称的协商座谈会为例
Authors: Yongjia Liang
Published: April 2015

Based on archival studies, this paper analyses an “ethnic symposium” organized by the party committee of the Dali Prefecture in 1956. The author argues that determining the Bai as the ethnonym is a process of “name standardization”. It was neither the decision of the state power, nor was it led by the scholar’s opinion, but by the local elites’ deliberate complicity with the state project. It could be thus called a process of “creating a common fate” under the combined principles of the discourse of “liberation-cum-backwardness”, historical evidence, anti-discrimination, legibility to the ordinary member, conformity to the communist value, etc. It defamiliarizes the everyday knowledge of the people and creates a liminal stage in which a shared fate could be felt. Therefore, this paper is not intended to deconstruct the ethnic identity, but attempts to provide the empirical analysis on a sociological issue of knowledge through contextualizing the usage and implication of the word “minzu” (ethnicity, nation).
Practical synthesis of 2,3-dimethoxy-5-hydroxymethyl-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone
Authors: Wang Jin , Li Shuo , Yang Tao , Zeng Jin-Rong , Yang Jian
Published: April 2015

2,3-dimethoxy-5-hydroxymethyl-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (V) was prepared with a 75 % yield by means of a reaction sequence starting from 2,3,4,5-tetramethoxytoluene via Blanc chloromethylation reaction, Kornblum oxidation, NaBH
Whole-cell optical biosensor for mercury – operational conditions in saline water
Authors: Solovyev Andrey , Kuncova Gabriela , Demnerova Katerina
Published: April 2015

The present study demonstrates the influences of chlorides, fluorides and bromides of potassium and sodium on the growth and Hg
Electrochemical enzymatic biosensors based on metal micro-/nanoparticles-modified electrodes: a review
Authors: Dimcheva Nina D. , Horozova Elena G.
Published: April 2015

The functions of metal structures of micro- or nano-dimensions in the sensing mechanisms of amperometric enzyme-based biosensors are considered in the light of the principles of detection of the latter. The applications of metal mono- or bimetallic nanoparticles-modified materials as catalytic electrodes in the fabrication of first-generation and the role which metal nanoparticles play in promoting or enhancing the electron transfer rates in third-generation electrochemical biosensors are reviewed. Some examples of gold NPs functionalised with enzymes via gold-thiol chemistry as a strategy for enzyme immobilisation and spatial orientation when developing amperometric biosensors are also discussed.
Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic activity of Ag+- and Sn2+-substituted KSbTeO6
Authors: Guje Ravinder , Shrujana Prathapuram , Veldurthi Naveen Kumar , Gundeboina Ravi , Kappera Nageshwar Rao , Muga Vithal
Published: April 2015

Ag
Interactions of antifouling monolayers: Energy transfer from excited albumin molecule to phenol red dye
Authors: Xu Hui , Wallace Robert , Hepel Maria
Published: April 2015

Albumin, as an antifouling agent preventing non-specific adsorption, is widely applied in biosensor construction and in the design of nanocarriers for theranostic applications. However, albumin is not completely inert and it interacts with many endogenous and exogenous compounds. The present work investigates the interactions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with phenol red dye (PR), a common component of cell-growth media. PR was found to bind to BSA, with the affinity constant KA = (2.5 ± 0.8) × 10
Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of m-cresol over Fe/γ-Al2O3 and Fe–Ce/γ-Al2O3
Authors: Liu Pei-Juan , Wei Huang-Zhao , He Song-Bo , Sun Cheng-Lin
Published: April 2015

Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of m-cresol over Fe/γ-Al
Low-temperature enzymatic hydrolysis resolution in mini-emulsion media
Authors: Lourenço Nuno M. T. , Matias Sara C. , Altas Margarida C. , Fonseca Luis P.
Published: April 2015

A low-temperature mini-emulsion medium for the enzymatic resolution of 1-phenylethanol is described for the first time. The enzymatic hydrolysis resolution of 1-phenylethyl esters with different chain-lengths in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase B in mini-emulsion media was shown to be significantly controlled by temperature. In this system, the direct effect of temperature on the mini-emulsion size was observed. For the longer 1-phenylethyl ester, 1-phenylethyl dodecanoate, the enzymatic resolution was promoted exclusively at low temperatures. The preparative mini-emulsion enzymatic reaction of 1-phenylethyl dodecanoate at 4°C afforded the isolation of (R)-phenylethanol with a yield of 36 % with an ee of 99 %. (S)-Phenylethanol was isolated with a 51 % yield with an ee of 79 %.
Graphene as signal amplifier for preparation of ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensors
Authors: Filip Jaroslav , Kasák Peter , Tkac Jan
Published: April 2015

Early diagnosis of diseases with minimal cost and time-consumption has become achievable due to recent advances in the development of biosensors. These devices use biorecognition elements for the selective interaction with an analyte and the signal read-out is obtained via different types of transducers. The operational characteristics of biosensors have been reported as improving substantially when a diverse range of nanomaterials is employed. This review presents the construction of electrochemical biosensors based on graphene, atomically thin 2D carbon crystals, a nanomaterial currently the subject of intensive studies. Here, the most attractive directions for graphene applications in biosensor preparation are discussed, including novel detection and amplification schemes exploiting graphene’s unique electrochemical, physical and chemical properties. There is probably a very bright future for graphene-based biosensors, but much further work is required to fulfill the high expectations.
Surface plasmon resonance application in prostate cancer biomarker research
Authors: Damborský Pavel , Madaboosi Narayanan , Chu Virginia , Conde João P. , Katrlík Jaroslav
Published: April 2015

Prostate cancer (PCa) diagnostics can be effectively addressed using sensor-based approaches. Proper selection of biomarkers to be included in biosensors for accurate detection becomes the need of the hour. Such biosensor and biochip technologies enable fast and efficient determination of proteins and provide a remarkable insight into the changes in the protein structure, such as aberrant glycosylation, which can increase the performance, sensitivity and specificity of clinic assays. However, for a thorough comprehension of such complex protein modifications, it is crucial to understand their biospecific interactions. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), one of the most rapidly developing techniques for measuring real-time quantitative binding affinities and kinetics of the interactions of antigens and antibodies, was chosen as an appropriate tool for this purpose. Herein, experiments on the interactions of antibodies specific against different epitopes of free and complexed prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a prominent PCa biomarker, are presented with two main aims: (i) to continue as lectin glycoprofiling studies and; (ii) to be used in microfluidic immunoassay-based platforms for point-of-care devices. Various PSA-specific antibodies were covalently immobilized on the biochip surface via amine coupling, and free or complexed PSA was injected into the dual-flow channels of the SPR device. Kinetic parameters and affinity constants of these interactions, as well as cross-reactivities of the used antibodies were determined. The sandwich assay for PSA determination was developed employing both primary and secondary anti-PSA antibodies. Sensitivity of the assay was 3.63 nM
Oxidation of 4-nitro-o-xylene with nitric acid using N-hydroxyphthalimide under phase transfer conditions
Authors: Wei Song-Bo , Tang Bo , Peng Xin-Hua
Published: April 2015

4-Nitro-o-xylene was selectively oxidized to 2-methyl-4-nitrobenzoic acid using dilute nitric acid as the oxidizing agent under atmospheric pressure. The oxidation of 4-nitro-o-xylene was effectively promoted by an addition of radical initiators. Under reflux, 2-methyl-4-nitrobenzoic acid was afforded in high yield using nitric acid combined with N-hydroxyphthalimide, cobalt dichloride (CoCl
Mass transfer examination in electrodialysis using limiting current measurements
Authors: Káňavová Natália , Krejčí Anna , Benedeková Martina , Doležel Marek , Machuča Lubomír
Published: April 2015

The impact of electrodialysis module characteristics on mass transfer was examined using the limiting current method. The current-voltage curves of different electrodialysis modules were measured and limiting currents were determined using the derivative method. The mass transfer coefficients were calculated and the parameters of their dependence on linear flow velocity were estimated. From these the impact of spacer thickness, spacer net type, membrane type, and module geometry were evaluated. It was found that the impact of spacer thickness was almost negligible within the examined range, but a decrease in the mass transfer coefficient could be expected in the case of thicker spacers. By contrast, the spacer net type and type of membrane were found to be very important parameters able to significantly influence the mass transfer. By modifying the module geometry, the mass transfer coefficient could also be altered and, only in this case, the exponential parameter of the dependence was changing. The parameters thus determined may be used to calculate the limiting current in a wide range of operational conditions and may help predict the performance of different electrodialysis module types
Development of transition state analogue inhibitors for N-acetylglycosyltransferases bearing D-psicoor D-tagatofuranose scaffolds
Authors: Baráth Marek , Lin Chun-Hung , Tvaroška Igor , Hirsch Ján
Published: April 2015

New potential transition state analogue inhibitors for N-acetylglucosyltransferases (GnTs) were synthesised. These compounds based on psico- and tagatofuranose (structure) scaffold contained a 2-thiophenyl-1-O-diethylphosphate moiety mimicking the proposed model of the transition state of the enzymatic reaction catalysed by N-acetylglucosyltransferases. The synthesised compounds as well as their precursors were fully characterised by NMR, optical rotation and mass techniques. Anomeric configuration of tagatofuranose derivatives was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Two types of potential human glycosyltransferase (GnTs) inhibitors representing donor UDP-GlcNAc, assigned for biological assays on human GnTs, were prepared.
Determination of diffusivity from mass transfer measurements in a batch dialyzer: numerical analysis of pseudo-steady state approximation
Authors: Palatý Zdeněk , Bendová Helena
Published: April 2015

The presented paper deals with the numerical analysis of pseudo-steady state conditions used in the modelling of the batch dialysis process. First, under specified conditions, time dependences of component concentrations and liquid volumes in both compartments were generated using a rigorous model based on Fick’s second law. From these data, the diffusion coefficient of the component in the membrane was calculated using a simplified model based on Fick’s first law. The specified coefficient was then compared with the calculated one. Numerical analysis revealed that in case of not too thick membranes, sufficiently high values of the diffusion coefficient, high intensity of mixing and considering the concentration and volume data in compartments I and II, the pseudo-steady state conditions can be considered as a good approximation of the real state
New insights into bromination process: effective preparation of Ambroxol
Authors: Xu Jun-Hui , Ma Yan-Qiong , Wei Jian-Ping , Li Fang-Mei , Peng Xin-Hua
Published: April 2015

Ambroxol used as an expectorant in treating respiratory diseases was effectively prepared with a total yield of 62 %, with o-toluidine as the feedstock via successive procedures of electrophilic bromination, acetylation, radical benzylic bromination, N-alkylation and hydrolysis processes. The addition of aqueous hydrogen peroxide could enhance the utilisation of liquid bromine in the electrophilic bromination of o-toluidine, avoiding the hazardous HBr generated as a by-product. In addition, liquid bromine promoted by MnO
Determination of formaldehyde by flow injection analysis with spectrophotometric detection exploiting brilliant green–sulphite reaction
Authors: Bolognesi Lúcio , dos Santos Eder J. , Abate Gilberto
Published: April 2015

A method for the determination of formaldehyde by flow injection analysis with spectrophotometric detection is proposed, based on retarding the reaction between brilliant green and sulphite by the addition of formaldehyde; this was investigated for formaldehyde quantification in extracts from wood-based panels. For the first time, a heating step was explored, providing a sample throughput of 50 analyses per hour, with a limit of detection of 0.02 mg L
Ultra-trace arsenic and mercury speciation and determination in blood samples by ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction combined with flow injection-hydride generation/cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Shirkhanloo Hamid , Khaligh Aisan , Mousavi Hassan Zavvar , Eskandari Mohammad Mehdi , Miran-Beigi Ali Akbar
Published: April 2015

A simple, fast, and sensitive method for speciation and determination of As (III, V) and Hg (II, R) in human blood samples based on ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME) and flow injection hydride generation/cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (FI-HG/CV-AAS) has been developed. Tetraethylthiuram disulfide, mixed ionic liquids (hydrophobic and hydrophilic ILs) and acetone were used in the DLLME step as the chelating agent, extraction and dispersive solvents, respectively. Using a microwave assisted-UV system, organic mercury (R-Hg) was converted to Hg(II) and total mercury amount was measured in blood samples by the presented method. Total arsenic content was determined by reducing As(V) to As(III) with potassium iodide and ascorbic acid in a hydrochloric acid solution. Finally, As(V) and R-Hg were determined by mathematically subtracting the As(III) and Hg(II) content from the total arsenic and mercury, respectively. Under optimum conditions, linear range and detection limit (3σ) of 0.1-5.0 μg L
Morphology, structure, and photoactivity of two types of graphene oxide–TiO2 composites
Authors: Peter Anca , Mihaly-Cozmuta Leonard , Mihaly-Cozmuta Anca , Nicula Camelia , Jastrzębska Agnieszka , Kurtycz Patrycja , Olszyna Andrzej
Published: April 2015

Two types of graphene oxide-TiO
A novel efficient magnetic core–zeolitic shell nanocatalyst system: preparation, characterization and activity
Authors: Padervand Mohsen , Vossoughi Manouchehr , Janfada Behdokht
Published: April 2015

Analcime shell-nickel ferrite core microspheres were decorated with Pd and Pt nanoparticles with the aid of an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIM-PF6). The samples thus prepared were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) methods. The XRD patterns confirmed the growth of a zeolitic layer on the surface of the magnetic cores. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) curve clearly indicated the thermal decomposition of the loaded IL, which confirmed the presence of BMIM-PF6 in the structures. In addition, EDX analysis indicated that the samples contained 2.5 mass % of noble metal. The metallic species can be adsorbed on the modified surface and/or penetrate into the zeolitic channels in the structures. The results indicate that the X-IL/An/S/NF (X = Pt or Pd) metallic nanoparticles supported core-shell catalystssamples were able to catalyse the selective oxidation of cyclohexene to 2-cyclohexene-1-ol under the induced conditions. The catalysts continued to be active after recycling up to 5 times. Eventually, a suitable mechanism was proposed for the selective oxidation of cyclohexene over the catalysts.
Newly synthesized indolizine derivatives – antimicrobial and antimutagenic properties
Authors: Olejníková Petra , Birošová Lucia , Švorc Ľubomír , Vihonská Zuzana , Fiedlerová Martina , Marchalín Štefan , Šafář Peter
Published: April 2015

A series of indolizine derivatives have been synthesized and subjected to antibacterial screening studies. Antibacterial activity of 21 derivatives was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli; also, the sensitivity of model yeast Candida parapsilosis and some model filamentous fungi Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea and Microsporum gypseum was tested. Newly synthesized indolizine derivatives have shown selective toxicity to Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus and were also considered to be able to inhibit the acidoresistant rod M. smegmatis. Derivative XXI has shown the highest inhibition effect with the bacteriostatic effect on the cells at the concentration of 25 μg mL
Voltammetric determination of B1 and B6 vitamins using a pencil graphite electrode
Authors: David Iulia Gabriela , Florea Mihai-Alexandru , Cracea Oana Georgiana , Popa Dana Elena , Buleandra Mihaela , Iorgulescu Emilia Elena , David Vasile , Badea Irinel Adriana , Ciucu Anton Alexandru
Published: April 2015

Due to the importance of B
Efficient method for the synthesis of polysubstituted 2,6-dicyanoanilines by one-pot three-component tandem reaction of malononitrile with α,β-unsaturated imines
Authors: Chen Wei , Lu Xiao-Yan
Published: April 2015

A facile and efficient one-pot synthesis of polysubstituted benzenes was achieved via the Michael addition of malononitrile with α,β-unsaturated imines and a sequential tandem reaction. This reaction generates polysubstituted 2,6-dicyanoanilines in high yields (15 examples, isolated yields of 57-91 %), and proceeds under mild reaction conditions (60°C, 10 min). In addition, a possible mechanism accounting for the reaction is proposed.
An electrochemical sensor for sensitive determination of nitrites based on Ag–Fe3O4–graphene oxide magnetic nanocomposites
Authors: Li Bo-Qiang , Nie Fei , Sheng Qing-Lin , Zheng Jian-Bin
Published: April 2015

A functional Ag-Fe
Electrosynthesis of poly(p-phenylene) and poly(p-phenylene/pyrrole) films under controlled humidity
Authors: Eiras Carla , Foschini Maurício , Soares Juliana C. , Gonçalves Débora
Published: April 2015

Poly(p-phenylene/pyrrole) (PPP-PPY) films were electrochemically synthesised on transparent indium-tin-oxide-covered glass (ITO) electrodes. The presence of two monomers, p-phenylene and pyrrole, in the polymerisation medium facilitated the synthesis process, yielding electroactive, uniform and stable films. In order to obtain materials with improved quality, PPP, PPY and PPP-PPY films were prepared in a mild, dry atmosphere. The morphological, electrochemical and optical properties were compared for different films obtained by varying the number of cycles with and without controlling humidity.
Is climatic regionalization in frame of estimated pedologic-ecological system actual in 21st century?
Authors: Středová Hana , Chuchma Filip
Published: April 2015

Climatic variables defining climatic regions of estimated pedologic-ecological system (EPEU) were calculated based on fifty-year climatic data from 1961 to 2010. Obtained results were subsequently compared to intervals determining individual climatic regions defined by previous climatic data (1901-1950). In many agricultural intense areas sum of air temperature and mean air temperature exceeded upper limit. In terms of precipitation it is especially noticeable in the wet (higher) altitudes. Significant volatility was found for probability of dry periods from April to September. The values of the moisture certainty from April to September for the period 1961-2010 reached to several tens. In the final analysis, the only safe prediction is that the present and future are likely to be very different from the past. It is necessary to take it into account for actualization of EPEU methodology. Among the strongest arguments justifying the need of this actualization is in particular climate development since 1901, technological progress and improved measurement technology as well as automation and development of climate models coupled with simulations of complex characteristics and estimates of future climate. It is evident that the development of climate and other factors have an enormous impact on soil fertility. This should be also taken into consideration when fixing the official price. It is necessary to consider the possible replacement of the existing characteristics by more suitable (for example soil moisture balance). The findings might be summarized in few words: old climatic regions do not reflect actual climatic conditions.
The Software Cost Estimation Method Based on Fuzzy Ontology
Authors: Plecka Przemysław , Bzdyra Krzysztof
Published: April 2015

In the course of sales process of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems, it turns out that the standard system must be extended or changed (modified) according to specific customer’s requirements. Therefore, suppliers face the problem of determining the cost of additional works. Most methods of cost estimation bring satisfactory results only at the stage of pre-implementation analysis. However, suppliers need to know the estimated cost as early as at the stage of trade talks. During contract negotiations, they expect not only the information about the costs of works, but also about the risk of exceeding these costs or about the margin of safety. One method that gives more accurate results at the stage of trade talks is the method based on the ontology of implementation costs. This paper proposes modification of the method involving the use of fuzzy attributes, classes, instances and relations in the ontology. The result provides not only the information about the value of work, but also about the minimum and maximum expected cost, and the most likely range of costs. This solution allows suppliers to effectively negotiate the contract and increase the chances of successful completion of the project.
Towards an Analysis Methodology for Identifying Root Causes of Poor Delivery Performance
Authors: Nielsen Peter , Do Ngoc Anh Dung , Eriksen Thomas , Nielsen Izabela
Published: April 2015

This paper presents an analysis methodology for establishing the demand stability of the planning environment faced by a company and the impact on the stability from changes to sales order. The methodology focuses on three critical planning parameters derived from customer orders: product mix, volume, and order sizes. Furthermore, the methodology links the delivery performance of a company to the changes made to sales orders. Based on a test case application of the methodology, it is concluded that by accepting changes, the demand faced by the case company has become more unstable on product mix, volume, and the number of order lines per period, while some added stability has been achieved with regards to the order size distributions. Ultimately, by applying the methodology to the case company, it is found that by changing the sales orders, the company does not improve the delivery performance.
Analysis of spatial variability of near-surface soilmoisture to increase rainfall-runoff modellingaccuracy in SW Hungary
Authors: Hegedüs P. , Czigány S. , Pirkhoffer E. , Balatonyi L. , Hickey R.
Published: April 2015

Between September 5, 2008 and September 5,2009, near-surface soil moisture time series were collectedin the northern part of a 1.7 km2 watershed in SWHungaryat 14 monitoring locations using a portable TDR-300 soilmoisture sensor. The objectives of this study are to increasethe accuracy of soil moisture measurement at watershedscale, to improve flood forecasting accuracy, and to optimizesoil moisture sensor density.

According to our results, in 10 of 13 cases, a strong correlationexists between the measured soil moisture dataof Station 5 and all other monitoring stations; Station 5is considered representative for the entire watershed. Logically,the selection of the location of the representativemeasurement point(s) is essential for obtaining representativeand accurate soil moisture values for the given watershed.This could be done by (i) employing monitoringstations of higher number at the exploratory phase of themonitoring, (ii) mapping soil physical properties at watershedscale, and (iii) running cross-relational statisticalanalyses on the obtained data.

Our findings indicate that increasing the number of soilmoisture data points available for interpolation increasesthe accuracy of watershed-scale soil moisture estimation.The data set used for interpolation (and estimation ofmean antecedent soil moisture values) could be improved(thus, having a higher number of data points) by selectingpoints of similar properties to the measurement pointsfrom the DEM and soil databases. By using a higher numberof data points for interpolation, both interpolation accuracyand spatial resolution have increased for the measuredsoil moisture values for the Pósa Valley.
Economy, Knowledge, Families: Practices of Appropriation
Authors: Bougleux Elena
Published: April 2015

The expansion process of a Western multinational corporation in India is investigated using ethnographic tools. In particular the paper deals with the processes of knowledge appropriation enacted by the Indian workforce employed at the Research & Development Center in Bangalore. Young Indian professionals in the early stages of their scientific or corporate careers seem to take advantage of the investments that the corporation makes in the competitive Indian industrial district, by frequently changing job and finding new positions. The underlying strategy is that of subtracting competences and applied knowledge from the corporation in order to appropriate them and then reinvest them locally and more profitably. Working for a multinational corporation is investigated in its material and metaphorical dimensions, demonstrating the methodological shift required to analyze a very large productive organization through the eyes of its employees. One consequence of scaling down in the ethnographic analysis is that the family is introduced as an economic actor contributing to shaping decisions and public policies.
The “Marriage Market” among Punjabi Migrant Families in Italy: Designs, Resistances, and Gateways
Authors: Bonfanti Sara
Published: April 2015

The dowry system originated in South Asia and the new patterns of household formation among Indian migrant minorities have been debated in the international literature, particularly in the UK. However, less attention has been paid to the pre-marital bargaining strategies used in the most recent Punjabi immigration to Italy (to date the largest Indian Diaspora in Europe) and to how a certain idea of kinship and a cultural code of spousal/parental relations are enacted through gift, exchange and favor. This article explores the “marriage market” among youth of Punjabi descent in Italy (between first and second immigrant generations), investigating the bride-groom selection procedures and the economic transactions which endorse a wedding agreement. Reports of ethnographic research just concluded in the northern rural districts of Bergamo and Brescia indicate that dissonant subjective narratives give voice to family and community conflicts across genders and ages in setting up new domestic groups, capturing the shifting local milieu after the economic crisis. Using an intersectional perspective, which highlights diversity in the Italian Punjabi community (with regard to class, caste and faith), we ascertain how categories of social difference are reproduced, contested and transformed throughout wedlock, and see how a traditional tempered endogamy has long become transnational and partly disrupted. Analyzing how young Indian Italians selectively resort to discourses about love/convenience, right/duty, control/autonomy, we will consider whether and how personal agencies may navigate hierarchical structures such as patriarchy, social inequality and capitalist development.
Gender quotas and the problem with descriptive representation
Authors: Mottlová Markéta
Published: April 2015

The article focuses on descriptive representation, which is a fundamental theoretical concept underpinning the introduction of gender quotas. The main question I consider in the paper is how to overcome the essentialism of descriptive representation. I consider the essentialist line of reasoning as unsustainable because it pays little attention to differences among women. I claim that a possible and desirable solution is based on the concept of gender as seriality-by Iris Marion Young. Although women do not constitute a homogenous group, it is meaningful to talk about women as a group in some sense, specifically as a social collective. In this connection, I highlight the advantages of gender as seriality. Firstly and most importantly, it overcomes the essentialism of descriptive representation. Secondly, the concept of gender as seriality enables us to identify the barriers faced by women in politics. Finally, it highlights why quotas are legitimate tools that can be used to increase women’s political representation
On the notion of the political in feminist theory
Authors: Kobová Ľubica
Published: April 2015

The turn of the 1990s saw the emergence of “the political” in feminist theory. Despite there being a number of publications devoted to the theme, the concept itself has remained rather undertheorized. Instead of producing a thoroughly developed concept, it served to create an epistemic community devoted to the (supposedly dead, modernist) political aim of women’s emancipation. In the article, I argue that it would be beneficent for feminist theory to adopt an affirmative stance towards the contingency of politics. This of course poses a challenge to feminist politics, which still operates mainly within the framework of the politics of representation. Nevertheless, Linda Zerilli’s approach, which interprets contingency in an Arendtian vein as the condition of the world-creating and world-building power of feminism as a practice of freedom may prove to be a productive way of approaching the challenging issue of contingency in feminist theory
Homo biotechnologicus
Authors: Višňovský Emil
Published: April 2015

The paper outlines the concept of the human being as homo biotechnologicus. This concept is just one version of many possible human self-interpretations, since human beings can answer their own fundamental question of ‘who are we?’ simply using their ‘human, all too human’ self-descriptions. However, technology is a substantial part of the human being as a natural being, and biotechnology is, moreover, its root. The biotechnology of today’s world means that humanity is set on a path to transcending its own human nature, with all the risky consequences that entails. The author considers these radical developments from the standpoint of posthumanism
Infrared image filtering applied to the restoration of the convective heat transfer coefficient distribution in coiled tubes
Authors: Bozzoli F. , Cattani L. , Pagliarini G. , Rainieri S.
Published: April 2015

This paper presents and assesses an inverse heat conduction problem (IHCP) solution procedure which was developed to determine the local convective heat transfer coefficient along the circumferential coordinate at the inner wall of a coiled pipe by applying the filtering technique approach to infrared temperature maps acquired on the outer tube’s wall. The data−processing procedure filters out the unwanted noise from the raw temperature data to enable the direct calculation of its Laplacian which is embedded in the formulation of the inverse heat conduction problem. The presented technique is experimentally verified using data that were acquired in the laminar flow regime that is frequently found in coiled−tube heat−exchanger applications. The estimated convective heat transfer coefficient distributions are substantially consistent with the available numerical results in the scientific literature.
Monitoring of historical frescoes by timed infrared imaging analysis
Authors: Cadelano G. , Bison P. , Bortolin A. , Ferrarini G. , Peron F. , Girotto M. , Volinia M.
Published: April 2015

The subflorescence and efflorescence phenomena are widely acknowledged as the major causes of permanent damage to fresco wall paintings. They are related to the occurrence of cycles of dry/wet conditions inside the walls. Therefore, it is essential to identify the presence of water on the decorated surfaces and inside the walls.

Nondestructive testing in industrial applications have confirmed that active infrared thermography with continuous timed images acquisition can improve the outcomes of thermal analysis aimed to moisture identification. In spite of that, in cultural heritage investigations these techniques have not been yet used extensively on a regular basis. This paper illustrates an application of these principles in order to evaluate the decay of fresco mural paintings in a medieval chapel located in North−West of Italy. One important feature of this study is the use of a robotic system called aIRview that can be utilized to automatically acquire and process thermal images. Multiple accurate thermal views of the inside walls of the building have been produced in a survey that lasted several days. Signal processing algorithms based on Fast Fourier Transform analysis have been applied to the acquired data in order to formulate trustworthy hypotheses about the deterioration mechanisms.