WATER DOSAGE USING THE COEFFICIENT OF IRRIGATION

Cilj istraživanja je bio utvrditi koeficijente navodnjavanja, a zatim koristeći koeficijente odrediti početak navodnjavanja, na temelju izračunavanja svakodnevne evapotranspiracije. Koeficijent navodnjavanja predstavlja potrošnju vode (mm) po jednom stupnju srednje temperature zraka (0C). Trogodišnja istraživanja (1999-2000) provedena su u Međimurju, na kulturama: jabuke, šećerne repe i krumpira i na tipu tla semiglej. Navodnjavanje kultura obavljeno je mini rasprskivačima. Obrok navodnjavanja izračunat je standardnom metodom i iznosio je kod jabuke 47,9 mm, a kod šećerne repe i krumpira 36,0 mm. Koeficijent navodnjavanja izračunat je za dekadno razdoblje na temelju sljedećih podataka: vlažnost tla, oborine, srednje dnevne temperature zraka i količina vode dodane navodnjavanjem. Prosječni trogodišnji koeficijent navodnjavanja za jabuku se kretao od 0,16 mm/0C u prvoj dekadi svibnja do 0,40 mm/0C u prvoj dekadi kolovoza, za šećernu repu od 0,10 mm/0C u prvoj dekadi svibnja do 0,23 mm/0C u drugoj dekadi srpnja i za krumpir od 0,11 mm/0C u prvoj dekadi svibnja do 0,21 mm/0C u drugoj dekadi srpnja. Potrošnja vode za pojedini dan može se izračunati množenjem koeficijenta navodnjavanja i srednje dnevne temperature zraka (0C). Kada se zbrajanjem potroši količina vode dodana prethodnim obrokom navodnjavanja, potrebno je ponovno primijeniti navodnjavanje. Određene vrijednosti koeficijenta navodnjavanja mogu se koristiti za određivanje početka navodnjavanja i u širem području s istim ili sličnim pedološkim i klimatskim uvjetima.The goal of the investigations was to determine the onset of irrigation using the coefficient of irrigation, which is based on the calculation of everyday evapotranspiration. The coefficient of irrigation represents the water consumption (mm) per one degree of mean daily air temperature (oC). Three-year investigations (1999-2001) were carried out in Međimurje, on the soil type Calcaric Fluvisol (Anthrosol). Irrigation was applied by means of mini sprinklers. Irrigation rate was calculated by the standard method and amounted to 47.9 mm apple, 36.0 mm for sugarbeet and potato. The coefficient of irrigation was estimated for ten-day periods (decades) according to the data on: soil moisture, precipitation, mean daily air temperature and the amount of water added with irrigation. The average three-year coefficient of irrigation ranged for apple from 0.16 mm/oC in the first decade of May to 0.40 mm/oC in the first decade of August, sugarbeet from 0.10 mm/oC in the first decade of May to 0.23 mm/oC in the second decade of August and for potato from 0.11 mm/oC in the first decade of May to 0.21 mm/oC in the second decade of July. Water consumption for a particular day is calculated by multiplying the coefficient of irrigation by the mean daily air temperature (oC). When, in adding up the consumption of water per days, the previously added irrigation rate is spent, irrigation should be applied again. This practical procedure of determining the onset of irrigation can also be applied in crop production also in a wider area with equal or similar pedological and climatic conditions

Onečišćenje tla kao posljedica odlaganja neopasnog otpada iz procesa proizvodnje čelika

Investigated was the soil at an old metallurgical landfill site of CMC Sisak Ltd. which has been exposed to the direct influence of metallurgical nonhazardous waste for many years. Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg Ni, Pb, and Zn) after extraction in aqua regia were determined. Heavy metal concentrations, except Hg, were determined by inductively coupled optical emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-OES, ICP-MS). Concentration of Hg was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Our objective was to assess the pollution level according to the potentially unacceptable risk limit levels for industrially used soil prescribed by the Croatian Soil Monitoring Program, and levels permitted by some EU member countries. The results of heavy metal concentrations in composite samples of landfill soil were also compared with the results obtained from the reference sample taken in the nearby park, outside the battery limits. The obtained results qualify the analysed landfill soil as contaminated with Cu according to the legislation of all observed EU countries, with Cd according to the legislation of Italy, Poland, and Belgium (Wallonia), and with Cr according to the legislation of Finland and Poland. To allow future use of the landfill certain measures of soil treatment will be necessary.Ispitano je tlo starog metalurškog odlagališta tvornice CMC Sisak d. o. o., koje je dugi niz godina bilo izloženo različitim utjecajima neštetnog metalurškog otpada. Sadržaj teških metala Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb i Zn u tlu određen je u uzorcima tla nakon njihove ekstrakcije metala zlatotopkom. Određivanje sadržaja svih navedenih metala osim žive provedeno je metodom optičke emisijske spektrometrije induktivno vezane plazme (ICP-OES), dok je sadržaj žive određen spektrometrijom atomske apsorpcije (AAS) primjenom hidridne tehnike. Da bi se procijenila razina onečišćenja tla, napravljena je usporedba rezultata sadržaja teških metala u analiziranim uzorcima tla s propisanim vrijednostima za potencijalno neprihvatljiv rizik za tlo upotrebljavano u industriji prema Programu trajnog motrenja tla Republike Hrvatske kao i prema propisanim vrijednostima u nekim zemljama EU. Rezultati određivanja sadržaja teških metala u kompozitnim uzorcima tla uspoređivani su s njihovim koncentracijama u referentnom uzorku tla uzetom s prostora obližnjeg parka, izvan tvorničkog kruga. Dobiveni rezultati svrstavaju analizirano tlo s odlagališta kontaminiranim prema propisima svih promatranih zemalja EU-a s bakrom, Italije i Poljske s kadmijem i Belgije (Valonija), Finske i Poljske s kromom. Za buduću upotrebu tla u istu svrhu moraju se poduzeti odgovarajuće mjere

Sex-Related Differences in Oxidant and Antioxidant Profiles of Murine Kidney and Brain: A Focus on Sirt3-Mediated Regulation

Background: Sirt3 is a mitochondrial deacetylase with an important role in maintainance of cellular redox and metabolic homeostasis and mitochondrial function. As growing evidence support the existence of sex-specific responses to metabolic and oxidative stress, we aimed to investigate sex- and organ-specific effects of Sirt3 loss. Materials and methods: Expression of Sirt3, PGC-1a, CuZnSOD, MnSOD and Cat proteins in kidneys and brains of Sirt3-wild type (Sirt3 WT) and Sirt3-knockout (Sirt3 KO) mice was assessed by Western blotting. Protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation levels were measured using ELISA and fluorometric assays, respectively. SOD and Cat activities were determined using standard enzymatic assays. Results: Significant sex- and organ- specific differences in response to Sirt3 loss were detected. Sirt3 knockout affected kidneys more than brain tissue, with females showing lower levels PC and LPO. In kidneys, female KO showed higher MnSOD, but lower CuZnSOD and Cat activity compared to males. In brains, WT females show higher activities of these enzymes than males, suggesting a sex-specific protection mechanism, but female KO brains show a larger decrease in these parameters. Conclusion: Our study provides comprehensive insights into the complex interplay of Sirt3, oxidative stress, and antioxidant defenses in murine kidney and brain. The observed differences between the two organs and the impact of sex highlight the need for studying Sirt3 function in diverse physiological contexts. The tissue-specific responses and sex-related variations underscore the importance of considering these factors in the development of therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial function and redox homeostasis

WATER DEFICIT ANALYSIS IN VARIOUS CROPS

U radu se razmatra manjak vode u tlu za područje Zagreba za obradiva tla (tipa: aluvij i semiglej) te za najčešće uzgajane poljoprivredne kulture (silažni kukuruz, kupus, paprika, salata, rajčica, kukuruz, jabuka itd.). Pogodnost tala je određena FAO metodom. Klimatološke karakteristike područja s aspekta navodnjavanja određene su uporabom 20-godišnjih nizova meteoroloških podataka i pedoloških podataka te indeksa faza razvoja biljaka. Referentna evapotranspiracija (ETo) izračunata je prema metodi Penman-Montheitha. Efektivne oborine izračunate su metodom USBR iz vrijednosti srednjih mjesečnih prosječnih oborina kao i iz količine mjesečnih oborina koje su razgraničene donjim kvartilom. Bilanca vode u tlu za svaku kulturu izračunata je prema metodi Palmera. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da su potrebe kultura za vodom različite, a ukupni nedostatak vode ovisi o količini i sezonskom rasporedu oborina i hidropedološkim značajkama tala. Za svaku kulturu izračunat je manjak vode za višegodišnji prosjek oborina i za sušne mjesece, koji su razgraničeni donjim kvartilom količine oborine. Može se zaključiti da je navodnjavanje potrebna mjera u uzgoju navedenih kultura na navedenim tipovima tala na području Zagreba.The paper deals with water a deficit in arable soils of the Zagreb region (types: calacaric fluvisol and semigley) and for the most common agricultural crops grown (silage maize, cabbage, bell pepper, lettuce, tomato, maize, apple, etc.). Soil suitability was assessed by the FAO method. Climatological characteristics of the region, from the aspect of irrigation, were assessed using 20-year series of meteorological and pedological data, and indices of plant development stages. Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was calculated by the Penman-Monteith method. Effective precipitation was calculated by the USBR method from the values of mean monthly average precipitation as well as from the amounts of monthly precipitation, separated by the lower quartile. Palmer’s method was used to calculate soil water balance for each crop. The results show that different crops have different water requirements, the total water deficit depending on the amount and seasonal distribution of precipitation and on the soil hydropedological characteristics. The water deficit was calculated for each crop with respect to the long-term precipitation average as well as for droughty months, separated by the lower quartile of the precipitation amount. It is concluded that irrigation is a necessary measure for the production of the studied crops on the said soil types in the Zagreb region

Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age.

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Paleogeographic evolution of the Southern Pannonian Basin: 40Ar/39Ar age constraints on the Miocene continental series of notthern Croatia

The Pannonian Basin, originating during the Early Miocene, is a large extensional basin incorporated between Alpine, Carpathian and Dinaride fold-thrust belts. Back-arc extensional tectonics triggered deposition of up to 500-m-thick continental fluvio-lacustrine deposits distributed in numerous sub-basins of the Southern Pannonian Basin. Extensive andesitic and dacitic volcanism accompanied the syn-rift deposition and caused a number of pyroclastic intercalations. Here, we analyze two volcanic ash layers located at the base and top of the continental series. The lowermost ash from Mt. Kalnik yielded an 40Ar/39Ar age of 18.07 ± 0.07 Ma. This indicates that the marine-continental transition in the Slovenia-Zagorje Basin, coinciding with the onset of rifting tectonics in the Southern Pannonian Basin, occurs roughly at the Eggenburgian/ Ottnangian boundary of the regional Paratethys time scale. This age proves the synchronicity of initial rifting in the Southern Pannonian Basin with the beginning of sedimentation in the Dinaride Lake System. Beside geodynamic evolution, the two regions also share a biotic evolutionary history: both belong to the same ecoregion, which we designate here as the Illyrian Bioprovince. The youngest volcanic ash level is sampled at the Glina and Karlovac sub-depressions, and both sites yield the same 40Ar/39Ar age of 15.91 ± 0.06 and 16.03 ± 0.06 Ma, respectively. This indicates that lacustrine sedimentation in the Southern Pannonian Basin continued at least until the earliest Badenian. The present results provide not only important bench marks on duration of initial synrift in the Pannonian Basin System, but also deliver substantial backbone data for paleogeographic reconstructions in Central and Southeastern Europe around the Early–Middle Miocene transition

Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age

Abstract The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset – with data collected between 2020 and 2022 – to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research

Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research

Soil Pollution Caused by Landfilling of Nonhazardous Waste from Steel Production Processes

Investigated was the soil at an old metallurgical landfill site of CMC Sisak Ltd. which has been exposed to the direct influence of metallurgical nonhazardous waste for many years. Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg Ni, Pb, and Zn) after extraction in aqua regia were determined. Heavy metal concentrations, except Hg, were determined by inductively coupled opticalemission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-OES, ICP-MS). Concentration of Hg was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry.Our objective was to assess the pollution level according to the potentially unacceptable risk limit levels for industrially used soil prescribed by the Croatian Soil Monitoring Program, and levels permitted by some EU member countries.The results of heavy metal concentrations in composite samples of landfill soil were also compared with the results obtained from the reference sample taken in the nearby park, outside the battery limits. The obtained results qualify the analysed landfill soil as contaminated with Cu according to the legislation of all observed EU countries, with Cd according to the legislation of Italy, Poland, and Belgium (Wallonia), and with Cr according to the legislation of Finland and Poland. To allow future use of the landfill certain measures of soil treatment will be necessary