The distribution of O and N in the surface region of laser-patterned titanium revealed by atom probe tomography

Direct Laser Interference Lithography (DLIL) has shown to be a promising technique to chemically and physically alter the surface of titanium. In this work, atom probe tomography analysis was performed on DLIL-treated titanium to obtain the chemical composition of the surface in maxima and minima interference positions. The analysis revealed that a multilayer structure consisting of oxide/oxynitride is formed at both positions; however, the chemical composition is altered differently between the two. The observed difference is believed to be due to an uneven heating and temperature distribution, which is demonstrated by thermal simulations

Can space-for-time-substitution surveys represent zooplankton biodiversity patterns and their relationship to environmental drivers?

Space-for-Time-Substitution surveys (SFTS) are commonly used to describe zooplankton community dynamics and to determine lake ecosystem health. SFTS surveys typically combine single point observations from many lakes to evaluate the response of zooplankton community structure and dynamics (e.g., species abundance and biomass, diversity, demographics and modeled rate processes) to spatial gradients in hypothesized environmental drivers (e.g., temperature, nutrients, predation), in lieu of tracking such responses over long time scales. However, the reliability and reproducibility of SFTS zooplankton surveys have not yet been comprehensively tested against empirically-based community dynamics from longterm monitoring efforts distributed worldwide. We use a recently compiled global data set of more than 100 lake zooplankton time series to test whether SFTS surveys can accurately capture zooplankton diversity, and the hypothesized relationship with temperature, using simulated SFTS surveys of the time series data. Specifically, we asked: (1) to what degree can SFTS surveys capture observed biodiversity dynamics; (2) how does timing and duration of sampling affect detected biodiversity patterns; (3) does biodiversity ubiquitously increase with temperature across lakes, or vary by climate zone or lake type; and (4) do results from SFTS surveys produce comparable biodiversity-temperature relationship(s) to empirical data within and among lakes? Testing biodiversity-ecosystem function (BEF) relationships, and the drivers of such relationships, requires a solid data basis. Our work provides a global perspective on the design and usefulness of (long-term) zooplankton monitoring programs and how much confidence we can place in the zooplankton biodiversity patterns observed from SFTS surveys

Cathode ray tube (CRT) waste glass recycling

W artykule przedstawiono przegląd literaturowy metod recyklingu odpadowej stłuczki szklanej z kineskopów. Omówiono budowę kineskopu oraz skład chemiczny szkła kineskopowego. Przedstawiono najczęściej proponowane zastosowania i metody przetwórstwa, między innymi dla celów budownictwa oraz przedstawiono nowatorskie rozwiązanie recyklingu szkła kineskopowego zaproponowane przez Instytut Inżynierii Materiałów Polimerowych i Barwników.The article presents a literature review of methods of recycling waste glass from cathode ray tube. The construction and chemical composition of the cathode ray tube (CRT) glass is reported. The most often proposed application and processing methods, inter alia, for the construction industry are presented. This paper presents also an innovative way for recycling CRT glass proposed by the Engineering Institute of Polymer Materials and Dyes

Organic protective coatings for roof coverings, applied using IMC

Nowoczesne pokrycia dachowe powinny być lekkie, estetyczne, odporne na działanie ekstremalnych temperatur i innych czynników pogodowych, co zapewnia długi czas życia i niskie koszty konserwacji. Wymagania takie spełniają elementy lub panele dachowe otrzymane ze sztywnej pianki poliuretanowej, technologią reaktywnego formowania wtryskowego (RIM), z powierzchnią zabezpieczoną farbami poliuretanowymi nakładanymi metodą „in-mould coating” (IMC). Przedstawiono wyniki badań właściwości wytrzymałościowych i odporności na starzenie elementów PU z naniesioną powłoką zawierającą pigmenty klasyczne i odbijające IR.Modern roof coverings are expected to be light, aesthetically pleasing, and resistant to extreme temperatures and other meteorological factors, thus ensuring a long lifetime and low maintenance costs. These requirements are satisfied by roof elements or panels made from rigid polyurethane foam using reaction injection moulding (RIM) technology, with the surface protected by polyurethane paints applied by the method of “in-mould coating” (IMC). Results of testing are presented relating to the strength and ageing-resistance properties of polyurethane elements with coatings containing traditional and infrared-reflecting pigments

The content of bioactive components in milk depending on cow feeding model in certified ecological farms

Żywienie krów odgrywa kluczową rolę w kształtowaniu produkcyjności i jakości mleka. Celem badań było ustalenie wpływu różnych modeli żywienia krów utrzymywanych w certyfikowanych gospodarstwach ekologicznych województwa mazowieckiego na zawartość bioaktywnych składników mleka (BSM). Przeanalizowano żywienie oraz produkcyjność krów w dwóch sezonach żywienia: letnim i zimowym w 2010 roku w dwóch gospodarstwach specjalistycznych. W badanych gospodarstwach dawki żywieniowe w okresie letnim i zimowym różniły się rodzajem stosowanych pasz. Badania przeprowadzono na 20 krowach. W mleku oznaczono LKS, witaminy A, D3, E i K2, profil kwasów tłuszczowych, białka serwatkowe, Ca, P i Mg. Najlepsze efekty produkcyjne w gospodarstwach ekologicznych wykazano w sezonie żywienia letniego u krów wypasanych na pastwisku, dokarmianych sianokiszonką i paszą treściwą w gospodarstwie G1. Mleko krów pochodzące z sezonu żywienia letniego z gospodarstwa G2 wyróżniało się statystycznie wyższą zawartością składników o właściwościach antyoksydacyjnych, głównie ?-karotenu i witaminy D3 oraz CLA w porównaniu z mlekiem z sezonu żywienia zimowego, odpowiednio o 78% i 14% oraz 437%. Najwyższą koncentrację BSM w sezonie żywienia zimowego wykazano w mleku krów żywionych dawką z udziałem dyni pastewnej (G2).W trakcie trwania żywienia zimowego w mleku z gospodarstwa G2 vs. G1 wykazano większą zawartość ?-karotenu (0,355 vs. 0,195mg/l)i TAS-u (1,759 vs. 1,721 mmol/l), oraz bioaktywnych kwasów tłuszczowych takich, jak:CLA, TVA i LNA odpowiednio(0,946 vs. 0,381, 2,20 vs. 0,89 i 0,956 vs. 0,734 g/100g tłuszczu. Zawartość wielonienasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych (PUFA) w sezonie żywienia zimowego również była statystycznie wyższa w mleku w gospodarstwie G2 niż w G1 o 24,2%. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują na korzystniejszą jakość prozdrowotną mleka, które pochodzi od krów mających w dawce zimowej dynię pastewną, a w dawce letniej - od krów żywionych zielonką pastwiskową do woli.Cow feeding plays a crucial role in shaping of their productivity and milk quality. The aim of the research was to examine the influence of different feeding models for cows kept in certified ecological farms of Mazovian voivodeship on bioactive milk components (BMC). Cow feeding and productivity in two feeding seasons (summer and winter) in 2010 in two specialist farms were analyzed. In examined farms feeding rations differed in type of feedstuffs used. The experiment was carried out on 20 cows. Somatic cell count (SCC), vitamins A, D3, E and K2, fatty acids profile, whey proteins, Ca, P as well as Mg were determined in milk. The best productivity effects in ecological farms were proved in summer feeding season season in case of cows grazed in the pasture and additionally receiving hay silage and a concentrate at the farm G1. Cow milk collected during summer feeding season at the farm G2 had statistically higher content of antioxidant components, mainly ßcarotene and vitamin D3, as well as CLA comparing with milk collected in winter season by 78%, 14% and 437% respectively. In winter feeding season the highest BMC concentration was proved in milk of cows fed the ration containing fodder pumpkin (G2). During winter feeding, in milk from G2 vs. G1 farms, it was observed highest content of ß-carotene (0.355 vs. 0.195mg/l) and TAS (1.759 vs. 1.721 mmol/l) as well as bioactive fatty acids like CLA, TVA and LNA (0,946 vs. 0.381, 2.20 vs. 0.89 and 0.956 vs. 0.734 g/100g of fat respectively). The content of PUFA during winter feeding season was also statistically higher in milk from G2 than G1 farm by 24.2%. The results obtained show more health-profitable quality of milk from cows receiving fodder pumpkin in winter ration and the animals fed ad libitum pasture green forage in the summer

Macrophyte architecture affects the abundance and diversity of littoral microfauna

We tested the hypothesis that structural complexity is an important factor influencing the abundance and taxon richness of microfauna (e.g., rotifers, copepods, cladocerans) in littoral habitats. Research on littoral microfauna has to date focused mainly on field observations, which commonly show microfauna have preference for some macrophytes over others. However, while such studies commonly conclude that macrophyte architecture is a major determinant of these variations, independent factors may also be responsible (e.g., differences in macrophyte ages, differences in macrophyte bed densities and the depth of the respective macrophyte beds sampled). We used artificial macrophytes with three levels of complexity to keep the surface area and mass of the substrate sampled constant, and to control for confounding factors not related to the complexity of the plants. Our results support the hypothesis that structural complexity is an important factor influencing abundance and taxon richness, independent of other potential confounding factors. Microfaunal (mainly rotifer) abundance and richness were generally greater on more complex artificial macrophytes, likely a result of more complex substrates (1) providing a greater variety of habitat, (2) supporting a greater concentration or variety of food and/or (3) affording greater protection against predators. Less mobile surface-associated (i.e., benthic/periphytic) taxa were found to discriminate among substrates, whereas the abundance and richness of planktonic species were not affected by complexity level. Relatively low abundances and taxon richness of microfauna recorded in control samples, which did not contain artificial macrophytes, supports the contention that vegetated areas sustain a higher abundance and variety of species than non-vegetated areas

Effect of genotype, environment and their interaction on quality parameters of wheat breeding lines of diverse grain hardness

Understanding the contribution of genotype, environment and genotype-by-environment interaction to wheat grain quality facilitates the selection for quality in breeding programs. Stability of grain quality characteristics is an important requirement in the baking industry. We assessed 24 winter wheat genotypes with different grain hardness in multienvironment trials at four locations and two levels of fertilization in each location. Grain samples were analyzed for hardness, protein and starch content, and wet gluten content, Zeleny sedimentation value, alveograph parameter (W) and hectoliter weight. All parameters were evaluated on whole grains using the near infrared transmittance technique. Differences between hard and soft genotypes appeared to be significant, apart from grain hardness, for protein content, Zeleny test and alveograph parameter. Genotype was found to have a major influence only on grain hardness; for protein content, wet gluten and Zeleny sedimentation value environment prevailed the influence of genotype, and for starch content, alveograph W parameter and hectoliter weight both sources of variation had similar importance. Genotype-by-environment interaction was of smaller size relative to genotype and environment in terms of all the studied quality parameters. Stable genotypes predominate the breeding lines studied. Response of unstable genotypes to environmental conditions was nonlinear in most cases