This study is the first comparison of the morphology of pollen grains in ten cultivars of three species of the Taxus,
Torreya nucifera and Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. drupacea genera. The material came from the Botanical
Garden of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. Each measurement sample consisted of 50 pollen
grains. In total, 750 pollen grains were analyzed. Light and electron scanning microscopy was used for the morphometric
observation and analysis of pollen grains. The pollen grains were inaperturate and classified as small
and medium-sized. They were prolate-spheroidal, subprolate to prolate in shape. The surface of the exine was
microverrucate-orbiculate, perforate in Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. drupacea, granulate-orbiculate, perforate
in all Taxus taxa and granulate-microverrucate-orbiculate, perforate in Torreya. The orbicules were rounded to
oval in surface view, and the size was considerably diversified. The pollen features were insufficient to distinguish
between individual Taxus members – only groups were identified. The values of the coefficient of variability of
three features (LA, SA and LA/SA) were significantly lower than the orbicule diameter. The pollen surface of all
Taxus specimens was similar, so it was not a good identification criterion. The pollen grains of the Taxus taxa
were smaller and had more orbicules than Cephalotaxus and Torreya. Palynological studies provided taxonomic
support for recognition of two different genera of the Cephalotaxaceae and Taxaceae families, which are closely
related.
One of the basic parameters which describes road traffic is Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT). Its accurate determination is possible only on the basis of data from the continuous measurement of traffic. However, such data for most road sections is unavailable, so AADT must be determined on the basis of short periods of random measurements. This article presents different methods of estimating AADT on the basis of daily traffic (VOL), and includes the traditional Factor Approach, developed Regression Models and Artificial Neural Network models. As explanatory variables, quantitative variables (VOL and the share of heavy vehicles) as well as qualitative variables (day of the week, month, level of AADT, the cross-section, road class, nature of the area, spatial linking, region of Poland and the nature of traffic patterns) were used. Based on comparisons of the presented methods, the Factor Approach was identified as the most useful.
The data set of the Warta discharges in Poznań (Poland) is one of the largest in the world as the daily observations of river stages have been conducted without interruptions since January, 1st, 1822. The Poznań measurement profile is situated in the 243.6 km and closes the catchment area of approximately 25 thousand square kilometers. The data used as the input in the paper were daily values of the Warta discharges in Poznań in the years 1822-2012. The climate in Poznań, a city situated in the centre of the Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) region, is relatively stable (Miler et al. 2005). Also the Warta River runoff shows considerable stability, especially in terms of mean annual values. Short-term trends are random in character. It was found that the Jeziorsko reservoir (total storage volume of 203 000 000 m3, officially put to use on September, 9th, 1987) significantly reduced daily variability of the flows and reduced peak discharge of the flood wave in the summer of 1997 on the Warta River at Poznań. The calculated periodogram for mean annual discharges of the Warta River in Poznań shows that there are main periodicities of ca. 10 year lengths. The research of the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (WIOŚ) in Poznań shows a gradual improvement of water quality in the Warta River in Poznań.
Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate (WSSE), located in the flood plain of the Awash River (Ethiopia), has been under long-term (>60 years) irrigation, industrial activities and agro-chemical usage. In this study, the hydrochemical properties of ground-water bodies available at WSSE have been characterized for quality compositions. Water samples were collected from groundwater monitoring piezometers distributed in the sugarcane plantation and then analysed for physico-chemical quality parameters (pH, EC,major cations and anions) following standard procedures. Other chemical indices (e.g., total dissolved solids (TDS),total hardness(TH),magnesium absorption ratio(MAR), base exchange (r1), meteoric genesis(r2)) were de-rived from the measured water quality parameters. The compositional variability and groundwater classification has been presented using the Box and Piper plots. The potential sources of minerals were suggested for each of the considered water sources based on their quality characteristics. Both trilinear Piper plot and meteoric genesis index revealed that groundwaterof the area is shallow meteoric water percolation type with a changing of hydrochemical facies and mixing trend. Ground-water of the area, is group 1 (Ca-Mg-HCO3) type, with no dominant cations and HCO3 are the dominant anions. Overall, the study result elucidates that the chemical composition of GW of the area showed spatial variability depending upon the variations in hydrochemical inputs from natural processes and/or anthropogenic activities within the region. The local an-thropogenic processes could be discharges from sugar factory, domestic sewage and agricultural activities.
The paper presents the results of analysis of duration of precipitation sequences and the amounts of precipitation in in-dividual sequences in Legnica. The study was aimed at an analysis of potential trends and regularities in atmospheric pre-cipitations over the period of 1966–2015. On their basis a prediction attempt was made for trends in subsequent years. The analysis was made by fitting data to suitable distributions – the Weibull distribution for diurnal sums in sequences and the Pascal distribution for sequence durations, and then by analysing the variation of the particular indices such the mean value,variance and quartiles. The analysis was performed for five six-week periods in a year, from spring to late autumn, ana-lysed in consecutive five-year periods. The trends of the analysed indices, observed over the fifty-year period, are not sta-tistically significant, which indicates stability of precipitation conditions over the last half-century.
The study on cognitive workload is a field of research of high interest in the digital society.
The implementation of ‘Industry 4.0’ paradigm asks the smart operators in the digital factory
to accomplish more ‘cognitive-oriented’ than ‘physical-oriented’ tasks. The Authors propose
an analytical model in the information theory framework to estimate the cognitive workload
of operators. In the model, subjective and physiological measures are adopted to measure
the work load. The former refers to NASA-TLX test expressing subjective perceived work
load. The latter adopts Heart Rate Variability (HRV) of individuals as an objective indirect
measure of the work load. Subjective and physiological measures have been obtained by
experiments on a sample subjects. Subjects were asked to accomplish standardized tasks
with different cognitive loads according to the ‘n-back’ test procedure defined in literature.
Results obtained showed potentialities and limits of the analytical model proposed as well as
of the experimental subjective and physiological measures adopted. Research findings pave
the way for future developments.
The occurrence of gas confined in shales allows us to consider it as a component of the host rock. During drilling wells, the gas is released into the drilling fluid from finely ground gas-bearing rock particles. The amount of gas released can be determined on the basis of mud-gas logging; in addition, it is possible to determine the gas-content in shales expressed by the volume of gas released per mass unit of rock [m3/ton]. The gas content in the Ordovician and Silurian shales (Sasin formation and Jantar member respectively) in two selected wells in northern Poland was determined using this method. It has been found that clearly distinguishable, highly gas-bearing sections, which are separated by very poorly gas-bearing ones, can be determined in the well log. The increased gas content in shales can be observed in zones generally enriched in TOC. No direct correlation between TOC and gas-bearing capacity was found however, but the structure of TOC variability and the gas-bearing capacity described using variograms is identical. Correlations of the distinguished gas-bearing layers in the wells under consideration suggest a multi-lens or multi-layered reservoir model. The lack of natural boundaries in the shale gas reservoir means that they must be determined arbitrarily based on the assumed marginal gas-bearing capacity. In the case of several gas-bearing zones, numerous variants of interpretation are possible. In any case the low, best and high estimated resources may be evaluated, assigned to each borehole in the area with radii equal to the range of variogram of gas content in horizontal part of the well.
Stem canker and black scurf of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn are important and epidemic diseases in potato-growing regions worldwide, including Iran. In this study, 120 isolates were retrieved from infected stem canker from six potato- growing regions in Iran (Isfahan, Ardebil, Fars, Hamedan, Kurdestan and Kerman). Out of these, 30 isolates were selected as representatives for genetic and virulence analysis. The isolates were analyzed by one sequence analyzes of the ITS-rDNA region, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR), as well as virulence studies. Based on sequence analysis of the ITS-rDNA region, all 30 isolates were assigned to the anastomosis group (AG) and all were assigned to AG-3 PT. Cluster analysis using the unweighted pair group method with the arithmetic averages (UPGMA) method for both RAPD and ISSR markers revealed that they were divided into three main groups, with no correlation to geographical regions of the isolates. Pathogenicity tests showed that all isolates were pathogenic on potato cv. Agria; however, virulence variability was observed among the isolates. The grouping based on RAPD analysis and virulence variability was not correlated.
The dynamic changes in selected heavy metal concentrations were analyzed in two ombrotrophic peat bogs from southern Poland: Puścizna Mala (PK) and Puścizna Krauszowska (PM). The highest contents of Pb and Zn occur at the top of profiles examined: 115.36 mg/kg (PM1), 90.61 mg/kg (PM2), 182.40 mg/kg (PK1), 121.68 mg/kg (PK2) and 127.43 mg/kg (PM1), 89.73 mg/kg (PM2), 170 mg/kg (PK1), 130.4 mg/kg (PK2), respectively. Concentrations of copper are similar to those of local soils varying from 9.4 to 12.8 mg/kg. Cadmium strongly varies with depth, which indicates distinct mobility of this element. Two peaks of elevated Fe concentrations are observed at the top and bottom of the Puścizna Mala profile, while the maximum in Puścizna Krauszowska was at the top of the peat bog. The Ti content distinctly varies with depth and correlates with the ash content (R 2 = 0.91-0.99). The strongest and positive correlation is observed between Zn-Pb and Ti-Pb contents. The significant differences of metal concentrations are noted between the profiles, which is probably connected with a rate of peat accumulation and plant composition of the profiles investigated, as well as with their disturbance by human activity.
From the regulatory point of view a strong link between an animal model and human pharmacodynamics of biological drugs is very important to qualify the model as “relevant”. Consistent changes in cell population between human physiology and animal model gain value of this model which then can be pharmacodynamically “relevant” from the regulatory point of view. Consequently, the aim of this study was to determine how similar to human observations is the effect of selected biological drugs on blood cells in a pig model. The study was to carry out a comparative analysis of the variability of selected biochemical and hematological parameters of the blood after administration of five different human therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) after a single subcutaneous (SC) dose in breeding pigs. The tested drugs were siltuximab (Syl- vant®), omalizumab (Xolair®), infliximab (Inflectra®), pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), and vedoli- zumab (Entyvio®) given in a single 1 mg/kg SC injection. Each of the tested drugs exerted a sig- nificant effect on at least two of the tested parameters three weeks after the administration. Siltuximab significantly influenced 9 of the analyzed parameters. Vedolizumab significantly influenced 8 of the analyzed parameters. Infliximab had the lowest impact of all the tested drugs, as it significantly influenced only two of the analyzed parameters. The study has proved that the impact of mAbs on the analyzed parameters can be significantly extended over time. This requires the monitoring of hematological parameters in the pig model even many weeks af- ter administration of a drug in a relatively small dose.
The article presents the results of the second part of an eye-tracking study conducted on Polish secondary school students working with a textbook for learning English. 20 dyslexic and 20 non- dyslexic school students worked with two sets of materials that had different graphic layouts but the same content. Their eye movements were recorded. The analysed data show that the arrangement of the material and images on the textbook page influence both the way the students (especially dyslexic ones) work with the book and their results.
APNB (alkaline phenolic no bake), widely known as Alphaset is one of the major sand binder systems used in foundries to make molds and cores without application of heat or gas. This is a two part system comprising of a phenol-formaldehyde resin in alkaline medium as binder and range of esters of dibasic acids and/or polyhydric alcohols as hardeners.
Resin performance varies depending upon formulations. Major variables in formulations are mole ratio of phenol: formaldehyde, total alkali content, ratio of two alkalis (NaOH & KOH) and molecular weight of polymers i.e. chain length.
In present work, one mole ratio of phenol & formaldehyde has been chosen to prepare 8 resins with following details.
Table 1.
Physical and chemical properties of eight (fresh) resins, A to H
Properties | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
Viscosity at 30°C (mPs-a) | 56 | 47 | 66 | 51 | 39 | 44 | 49 | 52 |
Na (%) | 5.94 | 3.21 | 5.94 | 3.21 | nil | 2.73 | nil | 2.73 |
K (%) | nil | 3.31 | nil | 3.31 | 7.18 | 3.87 | 7.18 | 3.87 |
Molecular weight | Low | Low | High | High | Low | Low | High | High |
Gel Time at 121°C, mt-sec | 27-0 | 29-30 | 24-0 | 30-0 | 30-0 | 27-30 | 26-30 | 26-0 |
Moisture (%) | 52.43 | 52.42 | 53.01 | 53.75 | 55.58 | 54.12 | 51.61 | 54.03 |
Non-volatile Content (%) | 48.74 | 47.25 | 49.10 | 49.35 | 47.63 | 47.32 | 48.06 | 48.29 |
Specific Gravity | 1.182 | 1.177 | 1.183 | 1.180 | 1.172 | 1.184 | 1.178 | 1.188 |
Free Phenol (%) | 0.47 | 0.42 | 0.44 | 0.43 | 0.37 | 0.27 | 0.41 | 0.20 |
Properties of these 8 formulations have been studied for strength and viscosity over a period of 12 weeks in 4 week interval.
Attempt has been made to develop a simple test for simulating hot & retained strength of molds in laboratory. Process followed for chasing hot and retained strength is described under clause 2.
With more and more understanding of the chemistry of alphaset system in last three & half decades it has been possible to identify role of variables contributing towards specific properties vis a vis developing tailor made formulations to fulfill requirements of individual foundries right from mold making to de coring.