Problems and potentials of golf courses in environmental protection

Dok svjetska bioraznolikost postaje sve osjetljivija, broj golf igrališta raste. Golf igrališta danas zauzimaju velike prostore i zbog svoje uske povezanosti s okolišem važno je proučavati njihov utjecaj na ekosustave. U ovom radu iznesene su glavni okolišni problemi golf igrališta s posebnim obrađivanjem teme utjecaja na floru i faunu te kvalitete površinskih i podzemnih voda. Također, ponuđena su i moguća rješenja za te probleme kojima bi omogućila golf igralištima da postanu potencijalna mjesta očuvanja prirode. Osim toga, dan je i kratki osvrt situacije u Hrvatskoj u kojoj očito vlada neslaganje između antigolferskih stavova i ambicija da se golf napravi našim turističkim adutom.While biodiversity all around the world is getting more vulnerable, the number of golf courses is on the rise. Golf courses today are taking huge amount of space and because of their intense relationship with environment it is very important to provide scientific research about their impact on ecosystems. In this work, main negative effects that golf courses have on environment are being made with the accent on impact on flora and fauna and surface and groundwater quality. Also, possible resolutions for those problems are given which can then make golf courses potential places of nature conservation. In the end, there is a short review of the situation in Croatia where we have a strong disagreement between against golf opinions and ambitions to make golf our tourist advantage

EXCESS RAINFALL IN THE SUMMER 2011, RISK PHENOMENON IN TRANSYLVANIA

Excess rainfall in the summer 2011, risk phenomenon in Transylvania, highlight precipitation quantities that in the warm season become more abundant due to general circulation intensity of the atmosphere, as well as to the increasing role of thermal convection that develops in unstable air masses, which is also reflected in the amount of precipitation. In summer months, the most abundant rainfall falls due to thermal convection in most cases. Excess rainfall may be present in any season of the year.They are emphasized by the largest amounts of annually, monthly precipitation, by the absolute maximum amounts of precipitation in 24 hours, by the frequency of heavy rains and the days that exceed 10 l /m2. We can say that the excess rainfall often lead to destruction and unimaginable damage

A continuous model for microtubule dynamics with catastrophe, rescue and nucleation processes

Microtubules are a major component of the cytoskeleton distinguished by highly dynamic behavior both in vitro and in vivo. We propose a general mathematical model that accounts for the growth, catastrophe, rescue and nucleation processes in the polymerization of microtubules from tubulin dimers. Our model is an extension of various mathematical models developed earlier formulated in order to capture and unify the various aspects of tubulin polymerization including the dynamic instability, growth of microtubules to saturation, time-localized periods of nucleation and depolymerization as well as synchronized oscillations exhibited by microtubules under various experimental conditions. Our model, while attempting to use a minimal number of adjustable parameters, covers a broad range of behaviors and has predictive features discussed in the paper. We have analyzed the resultant behaviors of the microtubules changing each of the parameter values at a time and observing the emergence of various dynamical regimes.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figure

Development of resistance during ceftazidime and cefepime therapy in a murine peritonitis model

Resistance emerging after ceftazidime or cefepime therapy was investigated in a peritonitis model. Mice were given a peritoneal challenge (102 cfu plus talcum) and treated by either antibiotic (50 mg/kg/dose, which produced similar antibiotic concentrations in peritoneal fluid in both cases). After one or three doses, resistance never developed in Serratia marcescens or Citrobacter frnouiii infections. After Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa challenge, ceftazidime selected more resistance (21/36 cases) than did cefepime (1/36 cases). In mice challenged with resistant strains selected by ceftazidime therapy, cefepime (six doses) successfully treated 7/18 E. cloacae infections but 0/18 P. aeruginosa infections; ceftazidime was never effective. Neither cefepime nor ceftazidime cured mice infected with the resistant strain selected by cefepime. MICs were poor predictors of further emergence of resistance in mice inoculated with strains classified as susceptible, but antibiotic-containing agar gradients plated with a high inoculum (102 cfu) allowed better prediction. In selected clinical situations, cefepime may be preferable because it may be associated with less frequent emergence of resistanc

Місце компетенцій та емоційного інтелекту в інноваційнійних проектах

Today such concept, as the project is firmly established in the life of almost any organization. Project activities, as well as any activity within the organization needs to manage, and in this case managers staff in project management. Functional (linear) and project management differ in the amount of tasks. If the functional Manager is mainly personnel management, it project manager performs more extensive features, which include: financial management, personnel management, operations (production) management, procurement and supply, technical-technological aspects of management, etc. Therefore, project Manager needs to have a sufficient level of competence and developed emotional intellect. The challenges facing leaders require the ability to carry out an active search for the necessary decision making information; to recognize the emotional state of the interlocutor, to interpret adequately the content of the received information taking into account their nature, degree of completeness and accuracy, the presence of "hidden meaning", manipulating, etc. The project Manager must be able to interact with their partners, subordinates to achieve the goals, to obtain the desired effect (change of behaviour, thoughts, relationships, etc.). The cross-reference relationships of the behavioral competencies of project managers on the models of the International Project Management Association (ICB 4.0) and the Japanese knowledge system P2M in the context of the development of emotional intelligence are investigated. The results of a comparative analysis of the behavioral competencies of the two knowledge systems identified key criteria for taxonomies that shape and develop the emotional intelligence of project managers.Сьогодні таке поняття, як проект, міцно увійшло в життя практично будь-якої організації. Діяльність за проектом, а також будь-яка діяльність в рамках організації повинна бути керованою, і в цьому випадку менеджери займаються управлінням проектами. Функціональне (лінійне) і управління проектами розрізняються за кількістю завдань. Якщо для функціонального керівника головної компетенцією є управління персоналом, то при керівництві проектом, він виконує більш широкі функції, які включають в себе: фінансове управління, управління персоналом, управління операціями (виробництвом), закупівлі і постачання, техніко-технологічні аспекти управління і т. д. Отже, керівнику проекту необхідно мати достатній рівень компетентності і розвинений емоційний інтелект. Завдання, які стоять перед лідерами, вимагають вміння активно шукати необхідну інформацію для прийняття рішень; розпізнавати емоційний стан спів розмовника, адекватно інтерпретувати зміст отриманої інформації з урахуванням її характеру, ступеня повноти і точності, наявності "прихованого сенсу", маніпулювання і т. д. Керівник проекту повинен вміти взаємодіяти зі своїми партнерами-підлеглими для досягнення поставлених цілей, для досягнення бажаного ефекту (зміна поведінки, думок, відносин і т. д.). Досліджено кроссреферентні зв'язки поведінкових компетенцій проектних менеджерів за моделями Міжнародної асоціації управління проектами (ICB 4.0) і японської системи знань Р2М в контексті розвитку емоційного інтелекту. Результати порівняльного аналізу поведінкових компетенцій двох систем знань визначили ключові критерії таксономій, які формують та розвивають емоційний інтелект проектних менеджерів

Effects of ampicillin, ceftriaxone, chloramphenicol, pefloxacin and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole on Salmonella typhi within human monocyte-derived macrophages

The killing effect of various antimicrobial agents used in the therapy of Salmonella typhi infection was tested against Salm. typhi strain Ty2 after phagocytosis by human monocyte-derived macrophages. The macrophages, cultured in 96-well microtitre plates, were infected for 1 h at 37°C by opsonized Salm. typhi Ty2 at a bacteria-cell ratio of 9:1. When added to the infected macrophage monolayers, at one and ten times the MIC, ampicillin, ceftriaxone and pefloxacin appeared to be highly bactericidal (< 0.25 logl0 cfu/well after 20 h, against 4 log10 cfu/well in antibiotic-free controls). Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole was bactericidal at ten times the MIC, but not at the MIC. Chloramphenicol was mostly bacteriostatic at the concentrations tested. As a control, gentamicin (10mg/l) did not exhibit any significant antibacterial effect, indicating that most or all the bacteria recovered from lyied cells were intracellular. Other controls for phagocytosis were also performed with heat-killed Candida albicans. Our results seem to correlate with the known clinical effect of some antimicrobials in human Salm. typhi infection. The in-vitro assay described here may be useful for assessing the activity of antimicrobial agents against Salm. typhi infectio

Multi-Parameter Analysis of Biobanked Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Shows Little Influence for Donor Age and Mild Comorbidities on Phenotypic and Functional Properties

Heterogeneous populations of human bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSC) are among the most frequently tested cellular therapeutics for treating degenerative and immune disorders, which occur predominantly in the aging population. Currently, it is unclear whether advanced donor age and commonly associated comorbidities affect the properties of ex vivo-expanded BMSCs. Thus, we stratified cells from adult and elderly donors from our biobank (n = 10 and n = 13, mean age 38 and 72 years, respectively) and compared their phenotypic and functional performance, using multiple assays typically employed as minimal criteria for defining multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). We found that BMSCs from both cohorts meet the standard criteria for MSC, exhibiting similar morphology, growth kinetics, gene expression profiles, and pro-angiogenic and immunosuppressive potential and the capacity to differentiate toward adipogenic, chondrogenic, and osteogenic lineages. We found no substantial differences between cells from the adult and elderly cohorts. As positive controls, we studied the impact of in vitro aging and inflammatory cytokine stimulation. Both conditions clearly affected the cellular properties, independent of donor age. We conclude that in vitro aging rather than in vivo donor aging influences BMSC characteristics

Investigations of environmentally benign pyrotechnic formulations based on nitrogen-rich and energetic boron-based compounds

Novel non-toxic and environmentally friendly pyrotechnic formulations have been developed and investigated. A series of nitrogen-rich metal salts and energetic boron-based compounds have been synthesized, characterized and tested as red, green and blue colorants in pyrotechnic compositions

ASSISTANCE IN MAKING ORGANIC HERBICIDE GRASS POISON IN LEMBANG (VILLAGE) BUNTU TALLUNGLIPU, TALLUNGLIPU DISTRICT, NORTH TORAJA REGENCY

Budidaya tanaman holtikultura tidak terlepas dengan  adanya rumput liar atau gulma. Nutrisi yang berada di sekitar tanaman budidaya akan diserap oleh gulma tersebut sehingga tanaman budidaya terganggu. Petani yang tidak membasmi gulma dapat mengalami gagal panen atau berkurangnya hasil panen. Gulma juga dapat merugikan petani atau perusahaan agribisnis dengan cara menurunkan kualitas produk pertanian. Tim pengabdi masyarakat membuat alternatif untuk membasmi gulma dengan membuat racun rumput Herbisida Organik. Metodenya dengan memanfaatkan bahan yang diperoleh dari sekitar lingkungan tempat tinggal petani. Hasil pengamatan racun rumput Herbisida Organik mampu mematikan gulma setelah ±2 minggu didiamkan. Penggunaan racun rumput Herbisida Organik dapat menghemat biaya produktifitas pertanian

Odgovornost država prema konvenciji o genocidu – pitanja nadležnosti u novijoj praksi međunarodnog suda

The author analyses certain questions regarding the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the most recent cases deliberated before the Court. Special attention is given to the decisions in the cases The Gambia v. Myanmar and Ukraine v. Russian Federation in which the Court discussed issues of a preliminary character relevant for the establishment of its (prima facie) jurisdiction. Hence, the author particularly addresses the questions of the existence of a dispute between the parties, the ratione personae jurisdiction of the Court, the erga omnes character of obligations under the Convention, jus standi of the parties before the Court, the relationship between Articles VIII and IX of the Convention, and the problem of the use of force for the purpose of preventing or punishing genocide. In the author´s opinion, despite the fact that it has not yet been decided on the merits in the analysed cases, the decisions made so far are significant in two ways. On the one hand, they strengthen the Convention in terms of reaffirmation of the prerequisites for the establishment of the jurisdiction of the Court, and, on the other, they contribute to the preservation of the fundamental principles of international law and the rules on State responsibility, as well as to the prevention of future acts of genocide.Autorica analizira određena pitanja o utvrđivanju odgovornosti država prema Konvenciji o sprječavanju i kažnjavanju zločina genocida i najnovijim slučajevima koji se razmatraju pred Međunarodnim sudom. Posebna se pažnja posvećuje odlukama Suda u slučajevima Gambija protiv Mijanmara i Ukrajina protiv Ruske Federacije te interpretaciji odredaba Konvencije o genocidu koje se odnose na uspostavljanje nadležnosti Suda. U tom se kontekstu osobito analiziraju pitanja preliminarnog karaktera, poput postojanja spora između stranaka, nadležnosti Suda ratione personae, erga omnes obveze koje proizlaze iz Konvencije, jus standi stranaka pred Sudom, odnosa između članaka VIII i IX Konvencije, kao i pitanja uporabe sile radi sprječavanja ili kažnjavanja genocida. Po mišljenju autorice, unatoč tomu što u analiziranim slučajevima još nije odlučeno o meritumu, do sada donesene odluke imat će znatan utjecaj na ispravnu i učinkovitu primjenu Konvencije o genocidu u budućnosti, u smislu pojašnjavanja preduvjeta za uspostavu nadležnosti Suda, kao i očuvanja temeljnih načela međunarodnog prava i pravila o odgovornosti država