UV and VUV spectroscopy and photochemistry of small molecules in a supersonic jet

UV and VUV absorption and emission spectroscopy is used to probe jet cooled molecules, free radicals, and clusters in the gas phase. Due to efficient cooling inhomogeneous effects on spectral line widths are eliminated. Therefore from these spectra, both structural and dynamical information is obtained. The photoproducts of these reactions are probed by resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization

Measuring and Reporting on Sustainability Performance in the Cement Industry

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance assessment and reporting has drawn a considerable amount of attention. In this context, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has been among the first organizations to develop a framework for sustainability performance reporting, which is synonymous with reporting on CSR actions and results. Now at its 3rd edition, GRI offers a very detailed set of indicators that describe CSR performance as envisioned by the framework. Yet, GRI itself warns that its set of performance indicators is not universally applicable to companies in all industries and, in addition, certain areas of industrial activities may need additional indicators for a reliable and realistic assessment of CSR performance. The Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), a global project of a group of cement producers with worldwide presence, that are also members of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), has been early to recognize the limits of GRI and develop an industry specific approach. The paper analyzes the pathway the cement industry has pursued in order to improve its performance in mitigating social and environmental impacts, and report on the results. Based on direct experience with and firsthand knowledge of the cement industry, the set of alternative performance indicators developed by CSI is presented and a parallel is drawn between that set and the general-purpose indicators developed by GRI. The approach taken by CSI to assure compliance of the quantitative data with accepted reporting principles such as accuracy, reliability, and comparability is also detailed and commented on.cement; measuring; reporting; sustainability.

Students’ expectations from graduate studies in heritage (tourism) management

This article provides certain key aspects that might help to further develop academic heritage education. These have been discussed within brainstorming and round-table sessions carried out by World Heritage students at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. Important aspects regarding expectations, current issues and prospective career opportunities were selected after these sessions. With the idea of our International Master Programme in mind, the results of this work have been summarized to identify what makes a good focus to Heritage Studies and further strategies to improve this discipline. It was concluded that international and interdisciplinary approaches should serve as the basis to facilitate personal research interests, critical thinking, a sense of student community and how all these can be applied to a future professional career. External students, faculty members and heritage professionals are invited to join this debate

Ozone concentration variations near high‐voltage transmission lines

Changes and distribution of ozone concentration in the area of high‐voltage transmission lines were investigated. The investigation on ozone concentration changes was performed with application of two methods: by using an ozone analyser and by passive samplers. The role of an accumulating element was performed by a glass‐fiber filter installed in a passive sampler. It was impregnated with a 1.2‐di(4‐pyridyl)ethylene and acetate acid solution. The impact of meteorological parameters on the passive sampler efficiency and ozone concentration variation is discussed. These parameters can increase or decrease the real concentration value in comparison with the concentration obtained by co‐located continuously running ozone analyser. Ozone concentration near high‐voltage lines varied from 10 to 51 ppb, and “background” ozone concentration changed from 3 to 50 ppb during the investigation period. The average concentrations were 28.1 and 27.5 ppb near the lines and “background” during the whole experiment period. The wind direction from “background” location to the high‐voltage lines prevailed during the experiment. The obtained results by different methods demonstrated good agreement; the difference between ozone concentrations was from 1 to 24% for individual cases. Ozono koncentracijos kitimas ties aukštosios įtampos tiekimo linijomis Santrauka. Tirta ozono koncentracijos kitimas ir pasiskirstymas ties aukštosios įtampos perdavimo linijomis. Ozono koncentracija matuota dviem metodais – ozono analizatoriumi ir pasyviaisiais kaupikliais. Pasyviajame kaupiklyje kaip kaupiantysis elementas buvo naudojamas stiklo pluošto filtras, impregnuotas 1,2-di(4-pyridyl)etileno ir acetatinės rūgšties tirpalu. Vėjo greitis, vėjo kryptis, UV spinduliuotė, temperatūra ir santykinė oro drėgmė gali turėti įtakos pasyviųjų kaupiklių efektyvumui bei ozono koncentracijos pasiskirstymui, todėl kartu tirti ir meteorologiniai parametrai (temperatūra, santykinė oro drėgmė, vėjo greitis ir kryptis). Tyrimo laikotarpiu ozono koncentracija ties aukštosios įtampos tiekimo linijomis kito nuo 10 iki 51 ppb, o nutolusioje per 222 m vietovėje, kuri buvo traktuojama kaip foninė, – nuo 3 iki 50 ppb. Išmatuota vidutinė ozono koncentracija foninėje vietoje buvo 27,5 ppb, o ties linijomis – 28,1 ppb. Eksperimento metu vyravo pietryčių krypties vėjas, t. y. nuo foninės vietos – aukštosios įtampos tiekimo linijų link. Nustatant ozono koncentraciją skirtingais metodais duomenys pakankamai sutapo, pavieniais atvejais nesutapimas svyravo nuo 1 iki 24 %. Reikšminiai žodžiai: aukštosios įtampos tiekimo linijos, ozono koncentracija, pasyvusis kaupiklis, meteorologiniai parametrai, vėjo greitis, vėjo kryptis, temperatūra, santykinė drėgmė. Изменения концентрации озона вблизи высоковольтных линий электропередач Резюме. Исследовалось изменение и распределение концентрации озона в районе высоковольтных линий электропередач. Концентрация озона измерялась двумя методами: анализаторами озона УФ-поглощения непрерывного действия и с использованием пассивных сорбентов. В качестве сорбента использовался фильтр из стекловолокна, пропитанный 1,2-ди(4-пиридил)этиленом и уксусной кислотой. Параллельно непрерывно измерялась температура и относительная влажность воздуха, скорость и направление ветра. Исследования показали, что концентрация озона в течение эксперимента изменялась в интервале от 10 до 51 ррb у линии и от 3 до 50 ррb на «фоновой» точке, удаленной от линий электропередач на расстояние 222 м. В течение эксперимента почти половину времени преобладал боковой ветер по отношению к высоковольтным линиям со стороны фоновой точки. Средние измеренные концентрации озона составляли 27,5 ррb на «фоновой» точке и 28,1 ррb – у линий. Результаты измерения концентрации озона как анализаторами непрерывного действия, так и по методике с использованием пассивных сорбентов показали хорошее совпадение: разница составляла 2–15% и лишь в отдельных случаях 24%. Ключевые слова: высоковольтные линии электропередач, концентрация озона, пассивные сорбенты, метеорологическиe параметры, cкорость и направление ветра, температура и относительная влажность воздуха. First Published Online: 14 Oct 201

Model studies on the pattern of volatiles generated in mixtures of amino acids, lipid oxidation-derived aldehydes, and glucose

The development of flavor and browning in thermally treated foods results mainly from the Maillard reaction and lipid degradation but also from the interactions between both reaction pathways. To study these interactions, we analyzed the volatile compounds resulting from model reactions of lysine or glycine with aldehydes originating from lipid oxidation [hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal, or (2E,4E)-decadienal] in the presence and absence of glucose. The main reaction products identified in these model mixtures were carbonyl compounds, resulting essentially from amino-acid-catalyzed aldol condensation reactions. Several 2-alkylfurans were detected as well. Only a few azaheterocyclic compounds were identified, in particular 5-butyl-2-propylpyridine from (E)-2-hexenal model systems and 2-pentylpyridine from (2E,4E)-decadienal model reactions. Although few reaction products were found resulting from the condensation of an amino acid With a lipid-derived aldehyde, the amino acid plays an important role in catalyzing the degradation and further reaction of these carbonyl compounds. These results suggest that amino-acid-induced degradations and further reactions of lipid oxidation products may be of considerable importance in thermally processed foods

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION: PARENTS’ REFLECTIONS

The paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the concept global citizenship education. Global citizenship education is defined as democratic and sustainable education that pursues to educate a global citizen who is able to perceive the processes of the modern society, to demonstrate a positive attitude and to adapt to the global environment.It is emphasised that global citizenship is a factor ensuring development of a global citizen and his/her functioning within the global context. The analysis of the European and Lithuanian documents revealed that global citizenship education has to be initiated at the pre-primary school because children aged 5- to 7-years are capable to form/construct new global skills. Thus, to have global citizenship education integrated into the pre-primary school education is a must, but still gaps and obstacles exist.The objectives of the research are to investigate how the parents of pre-primary school aged children perceive the concept global citizenship. Data for this research were collected using the qualitative method - an interview. A major advantage of an interview is that this method allows to investigate parents' individual perception of global citizenship education.The most interesting aspect of the data gathered is that parents do not demonstrate complete understanding of global citizenship education and majority of them are not completely familiar with this phenomenon. They relate global citizenship education to travelling and living abroad, to knowledge of other countries/cultures and specific social issues such as pollution, discrimination, poverty.  Taking into consideration the complexity of this process the parents’ perception is insufficient. Therefore, further study has to be initiated regarding teachers’ attitude to initiation and implementation of global citizenship education into the curriculum of the pre-primary school.

Uncovering the Potential Benefits of Mobile Technology in a Business Relationship Context: A Case Study

While the business world has felt the impact of wireless mobile technology in many areas, valuation of mobile systems investments have remained largely uncovered. The initial hype for mobile technology has by now simmered down and business investors too, are demanding more concrete evidence before they are willing to put their money into mobile applications or services. The ability to assign value of mobile technology to business outputs is far more difficult than a simple cost/benefit analysis. Unlike the system development costs, there are no standard anticipated benefits, as these greatly depend on the business context. In this paper, we present the findings of a case study of the development of mobile applications in a paper producing company for supporting the complaint-handling process. The paper industry is highly influenced by the development of ICT, globalisation and fierce competition, and the success of the companies operating within this industry is likely to depend on their ability to utilise ICT in taking the best possible care of their business customers. A method for identifying the potential benefits of a mobile system is proposed, explained and examined in the context of the case study. Finally, the case study illustrates and highlights the potential benefits of the mobile system, which provides operational efficiency, functional effectiveness and aims to strengthen business customer relationships

Temporal dynamics and projected future changes in nitrate leaching in a small river catchment dominated by under-drained clay soil grasslands: analysis of high-frequency monitoring data

Water pollution has long been an issue due to its adverse effect on human health and the environment. This research has concentrated on a small river catchment dominated by grassland underlain by drained clay soil. It analysed temporal dynamics and projected future changes in nitrate leaching from the catchment. The types of nitrate response were classified according to the type of hysteresis loop obtained when concentration was plotted against discharge for each storm event. To narrow down the variable list and focus on the most relevant variables, stepwise multiple regression analysis was used. This work informed the understanding of how nitrate leaching patterns depend on source and transport, and the effect of antecedent conditions on hydrology and leaching patterns. The Newby Beck catchment is dominated by clockwise hysteresis events. Clockwise hysteresis storm events are source (or supply) limited. Nitrate concentrations within the catchment are governed by preparatory processes of nitrate production at source in the soil. Projected climate change may act to alter these preparatory processes through increasing temperatures and more severe droughts in summer, which would result in even more extreme nitrate leaching events. The transport from the catchment is driven by shallow subsurface flow through the drained clay soil and increasing precipitation with future climate change in winter will act to further facilitate the rapid transportation of nitrate to stream water. It was estimated that there is a 71% probability of future nitrate flux increasing by the 2050s and an 82% probability of future nitrate flux increasing by the 2080s. Mitigation measures that intercept water that is transporting this nitrate, combined with reduction of nitrate supplied by anthropogenic activities, will be the best choices

The effect of gut microbiota and insecticide resistance on host plant preferences and voracity of the cotton fly, Spodoptera littoralis

To counteract pesticide resistance development, it is crucial to understand why and when it evolves. Additionally, to inform the farmers about this term and provide advices on efficient pest management strategies to prevent pesticide resistance. An agroecological approach may be suitable since it applies science, practice and social movements to improve more sustainable food systems by helping developing pest management strategies. The main aims of this project were gaining better knowledge about the possible connection between insecticide resistance development, host plant range and the effect of gut microbiota and surveying the knowledge among farmers on pesticide resistance development. The experimentations on the pest, Spodoptera littoralis, were performed to study if host plant preference and performance with insects that were either pesticide resistant or susceptible and where the gut microbiota was damaged while using the antibiotics or intact. The preference experiments did not show any results of changed host plant preference or survival rate due to resistance level or gut microbiota status. It was found that larvae’s initial host plant choice differs from the final choice indicating that larvae need to feed on the host plant longer to make a choice. However, while treated with the antibiotics, larvae ate significantly more of the leaves than unexposed larvae. Just as for the preference experiment, the efficiency of conversion experiment did not show significant differences in terms of resistance level or gut microbiota. A significant difference in efficiency of conversion was, however, found between the host plants where cotton presented higher indices compared to maize. In addition, larvae gained more weight consuming cotton than on maize, which indicates that maize is a poor host plant and that the host plant plays an important role in larval metabolism. The social science results indicated that farmers from Sweden, Tanzania and Lithuania are aware of pesticides detrimental effects but still use pesticides very actively, mainly because of their effectiveness. Tanzanian respondents were the only ones who have never heard about pesticide resistance while Swedish farmers presented high knowledge about this process. Better knowledge of pesticide use and pesticide resistance development need to be introduced to Tanzanian farmers to prevent the health problems caused by pesticide application. More sustainable pest management strategies in all the targeted countries are crucial to reduce pesticide use and pesticide resistance development. To do so, communication between researchers and farmers – practitioners is needed