Monitoring the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, Zn, Mn and Fe in cultivated Haplic Luvisol soils using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy and chemometrics

This study illustrates the successful application of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy extended with chemometric modeling to profile Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, Zn, Mn, and Fe in cultivated and fertilized Haplic Luvisol soils. The partial least-squares regression (PLSR) models were built to predict the elements present in the soil samples at very low contents. A total of 234 soil samples were investigated, and their reflectance spectra were recorded in the spectral range of 1100–2500 nm. The optimal spectral preprocessing was selected among 56 different scenarios considering the root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP). The partial robust M-regression method (PRM) was used to handle the outlying samples. The most promising models were obtained for estimating the amount of Cu (using PRM) and Pb (using the classic PLS), leading to RMSEP expressed as a percentage of the response range, equal to 9.63% and 11.5%, respectively. The respective coefficients of determination for validation samples were equal to 0.86 and 0.58, respectively. Assuming similar variability of model residuals for the model and test set samples, coefficients of determination for validation samples were 0.94 and 0.89, respectively. Moreover, the favorable PLS models were also built for Zn, Mn, and Fe with coefficients of determinations equal to 0.87, 0.87, and 0.79

Relationship between vertical jump tests and ice-skating performance in junior Polish ice hockey players

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between vertical jumps (VJ) and various on-ice skating performances of junior ice hockey players (n = 19). The three modes of VJ or off-ice measures were countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJ), squat jump (SJ) and depth drop jump (DDJ). The on-ice skating performance was measured by the skating multistage aerobic test (SMAT), forward and backward acceleration test, top speed test, and repeated sprint ability (RSA) test. The relationships between the variables were quantified using Pearson’s product-moment correlation. DDJ showed a significant positive correlation with forward average skating speed (FASS) (r = 0.62) and strong correlations with backward average skating speed (BASS) (r = 0.81), and maximum skating speed (MSS) (r = 0.71). SJ was found to be strongly correlated with BASS (r = 0.82) and MSS (r = 0.76), whereas the only on-ice performance that significantly correlated with CMJ was BASS (r = 0.68). All three modes of VJ were inversely and non-significantly correlated with performance decrement index and fatigue index, as determined by the RSA test. SMAT was not significantly correlated with either VJ or RSA. Correlations between all three modes of VJ tests were significant. Therefore, this study concludes that: (1) DDJ can be used as a predictor of all the ice skating speed tests, whereas SJ can predict BASS and MSS. CMJ, on the other hand, can predict the performance of only BASS. (2) RSA performance cannot be predicted from CMJ, SJ, or DDJ tests, and (3) neither any of the VJ nor RSA can predict skating endurance of junior ice hockey players

Studies on the Molecular Dynamics at High Pressures as a Key to Identify the Sub-Rouse Mode in PMMS

In this paper, we have investigated the molecular dynamics of the associating polymer, poly(mercaptopropyl)methylsiloxane (PMMS), at high pressure (up to p ∼ 505 MPa) by means of broadband dielectric spectroscopy. Previous studies revealed that PMMS exhibits two dielectric relaxation processes observed above the glass transition temperature related, most likely, to either the mobility within self-assemblies or the sub-Rouse mode (α′-slower process) and segmental (α-faster process) dynamics, whereas mechanical measurements revealed only the presence of terminal and segmental relaxations [Tarnacka et al. Macromolecules 2020, 53 (22), 10225−10233]. In order to determine the origin of the dielectric α′-process, further high-pressure experiments were performed. It was found that the timescale separation between relaxation times of segmental (α) and α′-processes is invariant to the compression, and activation volume calculated for both kinds of motions is comparable. These dynamical features are characteristic of the chain relaxation (called usually normal mode) found in type-A polymers. However, because mechanical data excluded identification of the slow dielectric relaxation as normal mode, we assigned it as the sub-Rouse process. This assignment is in the line with previous studies on poly(methylphenyl)siloxane. Further density functional theory computations revealed that the detection of the relatively strong sub-Rouse process is most likely possible due to the presence of a highly polar side group (thiol, −SH, moiety) that gives a strong contribution to dipole moment along the main polymer backbone. Additionally, we demonstrated that the pressure coefficient of the glass transition temperature, dTg/dp, in PMMS is one of the smallest among those reported to date for various polymers (dTg/dp = 156 K/GPa). This quite surprising finding was assigned to the specific interactions formed by the thiol group. Finally, it should be emphasized that high-pressure experiments turned out to be the key element to identify the sub- Rouse mode in dielectric spectraa process that might provide important information about the chain dynamics in polysiloxanes. However, to finally prove this hypothesis, further studies are required to discard the eventual possibility that the slow mode is somehow related to the nanoscopic organization in PMMS

Pionowy świat i góry na opak, czyli autobiografia na cztery ręce Olgi i Piotra Morawskich

The article presents an interpretation of Od początku do końca (From Beginning to End), a book written by Olga Morawska and Piotr Morawski. The work contains a Himalayan climber’s 2001–2009 diary covering, among others, expeditions to K2, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, as well as his wife’s memoir written after his death. A combination of two perspectives and two narratives, of the climber and his life companion, makes the book stand out from the genre of Himalayan climbing accounts – for literary reasons and owing to its focus on human relationships (intersubjectivity). Nevertheless, a focus on space, a staple of the genre, is strong in this book as well. Consequently, the analysis of the climber’s notes points to a sensual topography: a record of direct experience of mountains. Morawska’s memoir, in turn, is permeated with spatial metaphors (of life as a journey) and brings grief to the fore

A Generalized view of longwall emergency stop prevention (Ukraine)

Based on both theoretical and practical experiences, the measures aimed at controlling emergency shutdowns of stopes have been highlighted. These stopes are connected with the emergency rigid settlements of powered complexes. In terms of the Western Donbas mines, there are certain risks of a shutdown of stopping operations within the zone of primary roof caving. Thus, the causes of emergency rigid settlements of the support may include the following: layers of the main roof rocks are hanging and not timely delaminated; sudden changes in lithology; hydraulic overloading of the main roof; structural flaws of support under certain conditions of its use, etc. In this paper, the theoretical method of scientific cognition was applied, which, with its help, makes it possible to switch from single low-efficiency measures to a set of actions aimed at preventing any uncontrolled situation. Obtaining certain generalized knowledge means obtaining a much deeper representation of reality, penetrating into its essence. The study also involves statistical analysis, being the basis for outlining a zone of primary caving where a high degree of risk is observed. Certainly, the generalization of these measures does not solve the problem completely. Consequently, there will be further attempts to search for and achieve principal new solutions in the future

An effective similarity measurement under epistemic uncertainty

The epistemic uncertainty stems from the lack of knowledge and it can be reduced when the knowledge increases. Such inter-pretation works well with data represented as a set of possible states and therefore, multivalued similarity measures. Unfortunately, set-valued extensions of similarity measures are not computationally feasible even when the data is finite. Measures with properties that allow efficient calculation of their extensions, need to be found. Analysis of various similarity measures indicated logic-based (additive) measures as an excellent candidate. Their unique properties are discussed and efficient algorithms for computing set-valued extensions are given. The work presents results related to various classes of fuzzy set families: general ones, intervals of fuzzy sets, and their finite sums. The first case is related to the concept of the Fuzzy Membership Function Family, the second corresponds to the Interval-Valued Fuzzy Sets, while the third class is equivalent to the concept of Typical Interval-Valued Hesitant Fuzzy Sets

Social attitudes towards professional work of the 55+ generation. Comparative analysis of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary

The aim of the paper is to diagnose social attitudes towards professional work of the 55+ generation of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The analysis is based on the research carried out in Katowice, Ostrava and Debrecen among the 55-65 age group. The research was conducted in April – June 2019. The resulting discussion concerns the cognitive, affective and behavioural attitudes towards professional work. Three national groups are compared. The research findings indicate that taking into account all components of the overall attitude, it is the Poles who achieve the highest value of a positive attitude towards work, then the Hungarians, and finally the Czechs. The Poles demonstrate a consistent attitude towards work, with the individual components displaying similar results. The Czechs exhibit an inconsistent attitude. The highest value is achieved by the affective component and the lowest - by the behavioural one. The Hungarians also show an inconsistent attitude. The cognitive component achieves the same values as in the Czech Republic, however, the affective component achieves a very low value and the behavioural component is high. In Conclusions, the author shows that the economic activity of the 55+ generation is influenced by objective factors, in particular the state policy in the field of obtaining retirement rights and employment opportunities

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic in the context of the human and the environment

From 2019, life in the world has mainly been determined by successive waves of the COVID-19 epidemic. During this time, the virus structure, action, short- and long-term effects of the infection were discovered, and treatments were developed. This epidemic undoubtedly affected people's lives, but increasing attention is also being paid to the effects of the epidemic on the environment. Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines, a global scoping review of peer-reviewed information has been conducted on the use of over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infections and their positive andnegativeeffectsonthehumanbody,the effectsof non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on aquatic organisms, and their adverse effects on non-target organisms. The literature from 1998 to 2021 was analysed using the Scopus®, Web of Science™ (WoS) and Google Scholar databases. As non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs place a heavy burden on the environment, all reports of the presence of these drugs in the environment during the pandemic period have been thoroughly analysed. Of the 70 peer-reviewed records within the scope, only 14% (n = 10) focussed on the analysis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs concentrations in wastewater and surface waters during the pandemic period. The percentage of these works indicates that it is still an open topic, and this issue should be supplemented with further reports in which the results obtained during the pandemic, which has been going on for several years, will be published. The authors hope this review will inspire scientists to investigate the problem of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the environment to protect them for the next generation

A Search for Cosmic Ray Bursts at 0.1 PeV with a Small Air Shower Array

Roger Clay, Jassimar Singh, Piotr Homola, Olaf Bar, Dmitry Beznosko, Apoorva Bhatt, Gopal Bhatta, Łukasz Bibrzycki, Nikolay Budnev, David E. Alvarez-Castillo, Niraj Dhital, Alan R. Duffy, Michał Frontczak, Dariusz Jerzy Góra, Alok C. Gupta, Bartosz Wojciech Łozowski, Mikhail V. Medvedev, Justyna Mędrala, Justyna Miszczyk, Michał Niedźwiecki, Marcin Piekarczyk, Krzysztof Rzecki, Jilberto Zamora-Saa, Katarzyna Smelcerz, Karel Smolek, Tomasz Sośnicki, Jaroslaw Stasielak, Sławomir Stuglik, Oleksandr Sushchov, Arman Tursunov, Tadeusz WibigThe Cosmic Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) pursues a global research strategy dedicated to the search for correlated cosmic rays, so-called Cosmic Ray Ensembles (CRE). Its general approach to CRE detection does not involve any a priori considerations, and its search strategy encompasses both spatial and temporal correlations, on different scales. Here we search for time clustering of the cosmic ray events collected with a small sea-level extensive air shower array at the University of Adelaide. The array consists of seven one-square-metre scintillators enclosing an area of 10 m × 19 m. It has a threshold energy ~0.1 PeV, and records cosmic ray showers at a rate of ~6 mHz. We have examined event arrival times over a period of over 2.5 years in two equipment configurations (without and with GPS timing), recording ~300 k events and ~100 k events. We determined the event time spacing distributions between individual events and the distributions of time periods which contained specific numbers of multiple events. We find that the overall time distributions are as expected for random events. The distribution which was chosen a priori for particular study was for time periods covering five events (four spacings). Overall, these distributions fit closely with expectation, but there are two outliers of short burst periods in data for each configuration. One of these outliers contains eight events within 48 s. The physical characteristics of the array will be discussed together with the analysis procedure, including a comparison between the observed time distributions and expectation based on randomly arriving events