Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (KPB) Fish Clay at Højerup (Stevns Klint, Denmark): Ni, Co, and Zn of the black marl

The black marl of the Fish Clay at Højerup is mainly made up of biogenic calcite and cheto-Mg-smectite. We suggest that the formation of the smectite occurred during the latest Maastrichtian (or earlier) and that it represents a short period of rapid redeposition through coastal erosion occurring at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (KPB) sea level lowstand. The smectite of the black marl shows enhanced concentrations of Ni, Co, and Zn. The predominant source of these metals was probably the impact-ejecta fallout deposited on the top of nearby soil which was leached by the impact-induced-acidic surface waters. Most of the content of Ni and Co in the smectite is derived from the chondritic component of the fallout, but the ultimate origin of Zn may have been the impact-target rocks. Incorporation of the metals into the smectite took place during the KPB but before its redeposition at the Fish Clay site. The biogenic calcite-rich fraction of the black marl also shows high concentrations of Ni, Co, and Zn. The ultimate source of the metals was also probably the impact-ejecta fallout on the nearby soil at Stevns Klint. Enrichments of Ni in the biogenic calcite-rich/smectite fractions of the black marl represent the sudden input of the metal into the seawater at the KPB

Prvi nalaz vrste Cyclops bohater Kozminski (Copepoda, Cyclopoida) u Hrvatskoj i na Balkanskom poluotoku

The species of freshwater Cyclopoida Cyclops bohater Kozminski 1933 was recorded during collection of zooplankton in one of the three Čingi-Lingi Lakes in August and September 2004. This is the first record for the Croatian fauna and also for the Balkan Peninsula. The Čingi-Lingi Lake is a gravel pit in the Podravina area of NW Croatia.Prilikom uzorkovanja zooplanktona u jednom od tri jezera Čingi-Lingi u kolovozu i rujnu 2004. godine zabilježena je vrsta slatkovodnih Cyclopoida Cyclops bohater Kozminski 1933. Ovo je prvi nalaz za hrvatsku faunu, a i za Balkanski poluotok. Jezero Čingi-Lingi je šljunčara u SZ dijelu Hrvatske u Podravini

Electric cataract as occupational disease

Posle kratkog uvoda u istorijat našeg znanja o patogenezi električne katarakte, autori prikazuju jedan slučaj pojave ove katarakte kod radnika, koji je bio povređen strujom visoke voltaže (35.000 V). Zamućenje sočiva je usledilo posle šest meseci i to intenzivnije na strani tela, koja je bila dalje od izvora struje. Bolesnik je operisan i vid je integralne povraćen. Preporučene su neke profilaktične mere za zaštitu ovih radnika. Autori završavaju članak jednom hipotezom, koja treba da objasni »latentni period«, poznat kod ove vrste katarakte, teorijom auto-agresije na bazi sudara auto-antitela, koji bi bili odgovorni za brzinu, stepen i intenzitet nastale katarakte.After a short introduction into the main characteristics of electric cataract, the authors present a case of electric cataract in a worker injured by the high voltage current (35.000 V). After a »Iatent period« lasting 6 months, the disease appeared in both lenses, but more intensely on the lense of the left eye which was further away from the passage of the electric current. In their case the electric arc did not pass through the head as was usual in all the cases described so far, but through the raised hand and the chest. What the authors particularly point out are the changes at the base of both eyes, in the region of macula, which in their clinical picture resemble the changes observed in those who happen to look at the sun in eclipse with unprotected eyes. On the basis of this finding the authors are inclined to think that these changes are more likely to be caused by the intense light in the moment of short circuit than by electric energy. After the operation of the left eye and with a corrective glass, the normal visual acuity has returned to the patient. The changes on the right eye have remained stationary. The authors briefly discuss certain prophilactic measures to be introduced in electric industry, as well as the rehabilitation of workers suffering from electric cataract. A hypothesis on the mechanism of the disease is also given

Ecologically acceptable usage of derivatives of essential oil of sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, as antifeedants against larvae of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar

Ethanol solutions of five fractions obtained from essential oil of sweet basil Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) (F1-F5) were tested for their antifeedant properties against 2nd instar gypsy moth larvae, Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), in laboratory non-choice and feeding-choice experiments. Prior to bioassays, the chemical composition of each fraction was determined by gas chromatography analyses. Significant larval deterrence from feeding was achieved by application of tested solutions to fresh leaves of the host plant. The most effective were F1 (0.5%), F4 (0.05, 0.1, and 0.5%), and F5 (0.1 and 0.5%), which provided an antifeedant index > 80% after five days. A low rate of larval mortality was observed in no-choice bioassay. In situ screening of chlorophyll fluorescence as an indicator of plant stress level (assessed by the induced fluorometry) confirmed that the tested compounds did not cause alternations in the photosynthetic efficiency of treated leaves

Development of Grid e-Infrastructure in South-Eastern Europe

Over the period of 6 years and three phases, the SEE-GRID programme has established a strong regional human network in the area of distributed scientific computing and has set up a powerful regional Grid infrastructure. It attracted a number of user communities and applications from diverse fields from countries throughout the South-Eastern Europe. From the infrastructure point view, the first project phase has established a pilot Grid infrastructure with more than 20 resource centers in 11 countries. During the subsequent two phases of the project, the infrastructure has grown to currently 55 resource centers with more than 6600 CPUs and 750 TBs of disk storage, distributed in 16 participating countries. Inclusion of new resource centers to the existing infrastructure, as well as a support to new user communities, has demanded setup of regionally distributed core services, development of new monitoring and operational tools, and close collaboration of all partner institution in managing such a complex infrastructure. In this paper we give an overview of the development and current status of SEE-GRID regional infrastructure and describe its transition to the NGI-based Grid model in EGI, with the strong SEE regional collaboration.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, 4 table

Didehydroroflamycoin pentaene macrolide family from Streptomyces durmitorensis MS405(T): production optimization and antimicrobial activity

AimsThe aim of this study was to improve production of pentaene 32,33-didehydroroflamycoin (DDHR) in Streptomyces durmitorensis MS405 strain to obtain quantities sufficient for in depth analysis of antimicrobial properties. Methods and ResultsThrough classical medium optimization conditions for stable growth, DDHR production within 7days of incubation was established. Yields of 215mgl(-1) were achieved in shake flask experiments in complex medium with mannitol as the primary carbon source. DDHR had poor antibacterial activity with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 400gml(-1) for Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, while MIC of 70gml(-1) was determined for Candida albicans. Using flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy, it was demonstrated that DDHR induced membrane damage in C.albicans followed by cell death. Combination studies with known antifungal nystatin showed that DDHR is a promising agent for the development of novel antimycotic treatments potentially less toxic for human cells. ConclusionsPentaene didehydroroflamycoin has no antibacterial activity but can be further developed for the application in antifungal therapy. Significance and Impact of the StudyThis study is the first report on the stable and production in high yields of a novel pentaene family that acts on Candida cell membranes and can be used in combination with known antifungals. Polyenes are still antifungal antibiotics of choice, and therefore, isolation and production of new lead structures are highly significant

A Method of Approximate Greens Function for Solving Reflection of Particles in Plane Geometry

A method for approximate analytical solution of transport equation for particles in plane geometry is developed by solving Fredholm integral equations. Kernels of these equations are the Greens functions for infinite media treated approximately. Analytical approximation of Greens function is based on decomposition of the functions into terms that are exactly analytically solved and those which are approximately obtained by usual low order DPN approximation. Transport of particles in half-space is treated, and reflection coefficient is determined in the form of an analytical function. Comparison with the exact numerical solution and other approximate methods justified the proposed analytical technique

Proizvodne karakteristike i telesne mere koza alpske rase gajenih na malim porodičnim gazdinstvima u centalnoj Srbiji

The purpose of this study was to evaluate present level of productivity and determine linear body traits of Alpine goats raised in Serbia on smallholder farms. Data were collected from 22 smallholder farms located in Belgrade district, with total of 330 purebred Alpine does 2-9 years of age, 145 yearling does and 476 kids. Traits measured were: body weight of does, body weight of kids at birth, 30 days of age and at weaning (90-120 days), prolificacy of mature and yearling (primiparous) does, six linear body traits of does (wither height, body length, hearth girth, chest depth, chest width, pelvic width) and milk production (milk yield, milk fat and milk protein content). The analysis showed the average body weight of does to be 54.96 kg, while the average body weight of kids at birth, 30 days of age and weaning was 2.73 kg, 8.7 kg and 18.3 kg., respectively. Prolificacy was 144% in mature and 125% in yearling does. Measurements of linear body traits were: wither height 67.87 cm, body length 71.92 cm, hearth girth 81.79 cm, chest depth 32.93, chest width 21.49 cm and pelvic width 17.63 cm. Among dairy production traits, following results were obtained: lactation length 220.73 days, total milk yield 531.66 kg, milk fat content 3.33% and milk protein content 3.16%. It was concluded that the overall productivity of Alpine goats raised under smallholder production systems in Serbia is satisfying. Giving the fact that these animals are usually kept under poor conditions, many of these productive traits are very good.Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se proceni postojeći nivo produktivnosti i da se utvrde vrednosti linearnih telesnih mera koza alpske rase koje se gaje u Srbiji kod individualnih poljoprivrednih proizvođača. U ispitivanje su uključena 22 poljoprivredna gazdinstva locirana u beogradskom okrugu, sa ukupno 330 koza alpske rase uzrasta 2-9 godina, 145 prvojarenica i 476 jaradi. Analizirane su sledeće osobine: telesna masa koza, telesna masa jaradi na rođenju, sa 30 dana uzrasta i pri odlučenju (90-120 dana), plodnost odraslih koza i prvojarenica, linearne telesne mere (visina grebena, dužina trupa, obim grudi, dubina grudi, širina grudi, širina karlice) i osobine mlečnosti (dužina laktacije, količina mleka za laktaciju, sadržaj mlečne masti i proteina). Prosečne vrednosti telesne mase i plodosti ispitivanih kategorija bile su: telesna masa koza 54,96 kg, telesna masa jaradi na rođenju 2,73 kg, telesna masa jaradi sa 30 dana 8,7 kg i telesna masa jaradi pri odlučenju 18,3 kg, plodnost odraslih koza 144%, plodnost prvojarenica 125%. Utvrđene su sledeće vrednosti telesnih mera: visina grebena 67,87 cm, dužina trupa 71,92 cm, obim grudi 81,79, dubina grudi 32,93 cm, širina grudi 21,49 cm i širina karlice 17,63 cm. Prosečna laktacijska mlečnost je iznosila 531,66 kg mleka u laktaciji od 221 dan, sa 3,33% mlečne masti i 3,16% proteina. Na osnovu utvrđenih rezultata i poređenjem sa rezultatima drugih autora zaključeno je da je produktivnost koza alpske rase gajenih na malim poljoprivrednim gazdinstvima zadovoljavajući. Plodnost koza je na nešto nižem nivou, kao i porođajne mase jaradi. Međutim, ako se ima u vidu da su uslovi gajenja ovih životinja često veoma skromni, mnoge od ovih proizvodnih osobina su veoma dobre. Prostora za poboljšanje ima, ali uz veća ulaganja koja uslovljavaju i veću cenu proizvodnje. Ipak, uz nepostojanje organizovanog i zagarantovanog otkupa mleka koza, kao ni zaštitnih cena mleka, što bi proizvođačima pružilo neku sigurnost u proizvodnji, sva veća ulaganja u ovom trenutku ne bi bila isplativa

Review of the thermoluminescent dosimetry method for the environmental dose monitoring

Passive solid state dosimeters, such as thermoluminescence dosimeters, provide integrated measurement of the total dose and are widely used in environmental monitoring programs. The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review on the use of thermoluminescent dosimetry methods for monitoring radiation dose in the environment. The article presents the part of the research results of the project PREPAREDNESS (EMPIR 2016 call for Metrology for Environment joint research project) with a particular objective to harmonize procedures used by dosimetry services, relevant authorities and Institutes across the Europe. To achieve this, different monitoring routines that are based on passive environ mental dosimetry methods are investigated. Differences in performing specific steps such as preheating, reading, annealing, minimizing fading, and others, are analyzed. The investigation was performed by means of qualitative literature review that showed the lack of information about specific steps. The conclusion of this work is that thermoluminescent dosimetry measurement system has to be type-tested even though the testing procedure is complicated. In addition to this, control dosimeters should be introduced, International Organization for Standardization protocols should be followed during calibration, and finally, parameters influencing the measurement uncertainty have to be identified and well understood in order to pro duce ac cu rate dose measurement results

Antimicrobial and genotoxic activity of novel ruthenium(III) complex with n-phenyl-5-nitrosalicylideneimine

In this study, novel hexa coordinated ruthenium(III) complex of the type Na[RuCl2L2)] (where L = monobasic bidentate Schiff base derived from the condensation of 5-nitrosalicyladehyde with aniline) has been synthesized and characterized by electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry. Schiff base N-phenyl-5-nitrosalicylideneimine is coordinated to the ruthenium via imine nitrogen and phenolic oxygen. Mass spectra showed molecular ion (M-) at m/z 653.9641 which corresponds to [C26H18Cl2N4O6Ru]-. The in vitro antimicrobial properties of the Schiff base and the complex were tested by micro-dilution technique and agar plate assay for determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The compounds showed a higher antibacterial activity against tested Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33591 and ATCC 29213), whereas against the Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603) were ineffective. The genotoxic effects of Ru(III) complex were investigated using the Cytokinesis Block Micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocytes cultures. The cell culture treated with the complex at a concentration of 3.7 µg/mL exhibit the most prominent effect of decreasing the frequency of micronucleus for 44%, while at the concentrations of 1.5 and 7.4 µg/mL effect is slightly lower (40%), compared to the control cell culture