In the context of sustainability and the use of natural resources, it has been often shown that agricultural soils do not reach their productive function to their full potential. The ability of the ...soil to provide plants with appropriate growing conditions is reduced due to soil degradation. Documenting soil conditions aimed at determining soil quality indicators in relation to soil management enables to identify the type and location of degradation in order to suggest corrective measures to farmers for the soil fertility improvement. Since the basis for the successful agricultural production is appropriate soil quality from one side, and the soil quality improvement, monitoring and protection are priority according to the current legal acts, the new European Soil Strategy for 2030 and the Soil Act planned for 2023 from another side, the soil testing laboratory of the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County (PGKC) conducted the initial studies in 2019. Soil samples from the agricultural field in PGKC were tested using fast methods for following parameters: soil pH, total CaCO3, nitrate content, content of plant available phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, total calcium, aggregate stability and electrical conductivity. The test results idnicated the relative condition of the soil at different locations and in different crops. In addition, the results served as a basis for the sustainable soil management measures suggestion to the farmers in PGKC.
U kontekstu održivosti i korištenja prirodnih resursa često se pokazuje da poljoprivredna tla neostvaruju svoju produktivnu funkciju u potpunosti. Sposobnost tla da pruži biljkama odgovarajućeuvjete za rast i razvoj smanjuje se zbog degradacije tla. Dokumentiranje stanja tla s ciljem utvrđivanjapokazatelja kvalitete tla u vezi s upravljanjem tlom omogućuje identifikaciju vrste i mjesta degradacijekako bi se poljoprivrednicima predložile ispravne mjere za poboljšanje plodnosti tla. S obzirom nato da je temelj uspješne poljoprivredne proizvodnje odgovarajuća kvaliteta tla s jedne strane, aispitivanje, praćenje i zaštita kvalitete tla prioritet sukladno važećim zakonskim propisima, novojEuropskoj strategiji tla za 2030. godinu i Zakonu o tlu planiranom za 2023. s druge strane, laboratorijza ispitivanje tla Centra za poljoprivredu i ruralni razvoj Primorsko-goranske županije (PGŽ) proveoje početna istraživanja 2019. godine. Uzorci tla s poljoprivrednih površina u PGŽ testirani su brzimmetodama za sljedeće parametre: pH tla, ukupni CaCO3, sadržaj nitrata, sadržaj biljkama dostupnogfosfora, kalija i magnezija, ukupni kalcij, stabilnost agregata i električna vodljivost. Rezultati testiranjapokazali su relativno stanje tla na različitim lokacijama i u različitim kulturama. Osim toga, rezultatisu poslužili i kao osnova za prijedlog održivih mjera upravljanja tlom poljoprivrednicima u PGŽ.
Konzervacijska poljoprivreda sa svojim temeljnim principima (trajna pokrovnost tla, minimalna obrada i plodored) jedan je od najučinkovitijih sustava za prilagodbu poljoprivredne proizvodnje ...nepovoljnim uvjetima klimatskih promjena. Brojne prednosti konzervacijske poljoprivrede dodatno su izražene integracijom pokrovnih usjeva u plodored. Pokrovni usjevi uvode se u inovativne sustave biljne proizvodnje u svrhu poboljšanja kemijskih, fizikalnih i bioloških svojstava tla uz pozitivan utjecaj na bioraznolikost i doprinos održivosti poljoprivredne proizvodnje. Cilj ovoga rada je pregledno prikazati neke od glavnih uloga pokrovnih usjeva u konzervacijskoj poljoprivredi s osvrtom na zaštitu tla od erozije, konzervaciju vode i hraniva te utjecaj na organsku tvar i strukturu tla.
Conservation agriculture with its basic principles (permanent soil cover, minimal soil disturbance and crop rotation) is one of the most effective tools for adapting agricultural production to the adverse conditions of climate change. The numerous advantages of conservation agriculture are further expressed by the integration of cover crops into the crop rotation. Cover crops are introduced into innovative plant production systems for the purpose of improving the chemical, physical and biological properties of the soil with a positive impact on biodiversity and contributing to the sustainability of agricultural production. The aim of this paper is to present some of the main roles of cover crops in conservation agriculture with emphasis on soil erosion protection, water and nutrient conservation, and the impact on organic matter and soil structure.
The durability and stability of Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) modified asphalt in practical applications have garnered significant attention, with resistance to aging emerging as a pivotal ...indicator for evaluating performance. This study focuses on the composite modification of SBS-modified asphalt (SBS-MA) using Trinidad Lake asphalt (TLA), resulting in the creation of SBS-MA and three types of SBS/TLA composite modified asphalt (with TLA content at 10 %, 20 % and 30 % of the mass of SBS-MA). To assess the aging resistance, the four modified asphalts underwent prolonged aging for 10 h, 20 h, 30 h and 40 h using the Pressurized Aging Vessel (PAV) test. The macroscopic performance and microscopic characteristics of differently aged modified asphalts were then analyzed through methods such as Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). From the perspective of high-temperature performance, the asphalt modified with 10 % SBS exhibits optimal performance indicators during long-term aging processes, with a correlation coefficient reaching up to 99 % in relation to aging time. When the asphalt content exceeds 30 %, it adversely affects the stress sensitivity of SBS-modified asphalt. In terms of fatigue performance analysis, under a 5 % strain condition, the fatigue life of S-30 composite modified asphalt only decreases by 8 %, and TLA mitigates fatigue damage during the aging process of SBS-modified asphalt. Regarding low-temperature performance analysis, when the TLA content surpasses 20 %, it only manifests negative effects on SBS-modified asphalt. From a microscopic perspective, TLA introduces more sulfonyl and carbonyl groups, increasing by 3.6 times and 11 times respectively at a 30 % concentration, thus retarding the oxidation aging reaction of ST-CMA. In summary, this study provides valuable insights and methods for improving the aging resistance of SBS-MA, offering guidance for the application of Trinidad Lake asphalt in road engineering.
•The inclusion of TLA significantly improved the SBS-MA's high-temperature performance.•TLA enhances the stress-strain resilience of SBS-modified asphalt and alleviates fatigue failure during the aging process.•TLA delaying the SBS modifier's Polybutadiene (PB) segment's breakdown.
Team formation in an environment where some relevant parameters are not known in advance is a challenging problem. Communicating automata and distributed algorithms have been used to describe ...protocols for team formation. A high‐level specification provides a mathematical description of a protocol or a program. TLA +$$ {}^{+} $$ is a formal specification language designed to provide high‐level specifications of concurrent and distributed systems. The associated model checker known as TLC is capable of model checking the TLA +$$ {}^{+} $$ specifications. Recently, formal specification of a team formation protocol is given using TLA +$$ {}^{+} $$ when there is a single initiator (an agent or a robot) that initiates the team formation. Using TLA +$$ {}^{+} $$, we examine the formal specification for the multiple initiator situation and demonstrate that a composition technique can yield a single monolithic specification for the multiple initiator situation from the single initiator situation specification. We have used models of varying sizes, and the TLC model checker has confirmed that the protocol's specifications meet certain desired characteristics in each case.
One of the major tools for power system operators is optimal power flow (OPF) which is an important tool in both planning and operating stages, designed to optimize a certain objective over power ...network variables under certain constraints. Without doubt one of the simple but powerful optimization algorithms in the field of evolutionary optimization is imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA); outperforming many of the already existing stochastic and direct search global optimization techniques. The original ICA method often converges to local optima. In order to avoid this shortcoming, we propose a new method that profits from teaching learning algorithm (TLA) to improve local search near the global best and a series of modifications is purposed to the assimilation policy rule of ICA in order to further enhance algorithm’s rate of convergence for achieving a better solution quality. This paper investigates the possibility of using recently emerged evolutionary-based approach as a solution for the OPF problem which is based on hybrid modified ICA (MICA) and TLA (MICA–TLA) for optimal settings of OPF control variables. The performance of this approach is studied and evaluated on the standard IEEE 30-bus and IEEE 57-bus test systems with different objective functions and is compared to methods reported in the literature. The hybrid MICA–TLA provides better results compared to the original ICA, TLA, MICA, and other methods reported in the literature as demonstrated by simulation results.
•A novel hybrid algorithm.•Hybrid MICA–TLA has been offered as a novel solution for solving OPF problem.•Hybrid MICA–TLA was successfully implemented.
The BPMN standard notation allows business process designers to model both intra-organizational processes and inter-organizational collaborations. A great effort has been devoted in proposing formal ...semantics for BPMN, and, fewer, in providing dedicated verification tools. Still, some advanced features of BPMN, namely communication or time-related constructs, are often set aside. This becomes an issue as BPMN gains interest outside of its original scope, e.g., for the IoT where communication and time play an important role. In this paper, we propose a formal semantics for a subset of BPMN. This semantics takes into account not only the usual gateways, but also sub-processes, inter-process communication, and time-related constructs. In contrast to transformational approaches, which give a semantics to BPMN by mapping it to some formal model (e.g., transition systems or Petri nets), our approach is based on a direct formalization in first-order logic that is then realized in a straightforward way into the TLA+ formal language. We build on the TLA+ model-checker, TLC, to provide process designers with a verification framework, fbpmn, that one may use to check BPMN and workflow specific properties. Our tools and our model database are open source and freely available online.
•A direct formal semantics for a subset of BPMN, including sub-processes, communication and time constructs.•Automated verification of intra-organization workflows and inter-organization collaborations.•Seven models for communication, two models for time.•Communication models and properties of interest are easily extensible.•Open source and freely available tools and model repository.
Gujavice se smatraju jednim od najvažnijih skupina životinja koje žive u tlu. Vrste iz porodice Lumbricidae karakterizira uočljiv zadebljali prsten na kolutićavom tijelu, dok su vrste iz porodice ...Enchytraeidae manje i najčešće prozirne. Gujavice imaju razne važne uloge u ekosustavima. Značajno modificiraju fizička, kemijska i biološka svojstva tla. Svojim načinom hranjenja pospješuju miješanje i inkorporiranje organskih ostataka u tlo te njihovu razgradnju, čime utječu na kruženje hranjivih tvari i njihovu dostupnost drugim organizmima. Ukopavanjem u tlo potiču drenažu, prozračivanje i razvoj strukture tla. Svime time mogu utjecati na stanište i aktivnosti drugih organizama unutar ekosustava tla. Gujavice stoga često nazivaju „inženjerima ekosustava“ jer svojom aktivnošću uvelike pridonose plodnosti tla.
The loss of soil organic carbon stock and increased CO2 emission from soil are induced by various human activities. The aim of this study was to examine whether an anthropogenic influence during the ...regeneration of a pedunculate oak (
Quercus robur
L.) stand can affect the increment of CO2 emission from the soil. The research was carried out within three plots, out of which two were exposed to different degrees of anthropogenic influence. The air samples were collected using the soil respiratory chambers and analysed using the gas chromatograph Agilent 8890. Based on the obtained results, soil temperature and moisture as the most dominant drivers of the CO2 emission had different effects on the CO2 flux from soil depending on the intensity of anthropogenic influences and environmental conditions. Within the experimental plot with the significant soil alteration, a reliable positive correlation was detected for the CO2 flux with the soil temperature (r = 0.77, p < 0.05). High significant correlation was observed considering soil moisture (r = 0.85, p < 0.05) in the natural soil where the application of pesticides was conducted. The results showed that both soils that were exposed to the anthropogenic influences had notably higher values of the CO2 flux in comparison to the reference natural soil without anthropogenic impacts.
Rad u šumarstvu razumijeva sve ljudske aktivnosti koje su prijeko potrebne za obavljanje planiranih šumarskih poslova, a radi ostvarivanja dobrobiti od šume i šumskoga zemljišta. U skladu s tim šumarski radnici, tj. ljudi s potrebnim znanjima, vještinama i sposobnostima, uz odgovarajuća sredstva za rad i predmet rada predstavljaju temeljni čimbenik šumarske proizvodnje. Stručno osposobljeni, odgovorni, savjesni i motivirani šumarski radnici imaju odlučujuću ulogu u ostvarivanju uspješnih proizvodnih i poslovnih rezultata te čine neodvojivu sastavnicu u suvremenoj, općeprihvaćenoj paradigmi održivoga gospodarenja šumama. Međutim, danas u svijetu stalnih promjena šumarstvo se neprestano nalazi pred izazovom osiguranja kvalificirane i održive radne snage. Nedostatak šumarskih radnika postaje sve učestaliji problem u europskom i svjetskom šumarstvu, a razlog tomu su različiti globalni demografski, ekonomski, tehnološki i politički procesi, kao i specifičnosti samog sektora. U radu se stoga, uz opće značajke šumarskog rada prikazuju neki pokazatelji stanja i položaja radne snage u šumarstvu Europe i svijeta. Posebno se obrađuju aktualna pitanja i problemi u regrutiranju potrebne šumarske radne snage (nedostatak radnika, manjak interesa kod mladih ljudi, starenje postojeće radne snage, šumarski poduzetnici, neformalno zapošljavanje i sl.) te određeni alati i instrumenti važni za uspješno privlačenje i zadržavanje šumarskih radnika (razumijevanje motivacije, kompenzacije za rad, obrazovanje i trening radnika, nove tehnologije i sl.). Svrha rada se sastoji u pružanju podloga koje mogu biti važan doprinos u unapređenju stanja i održivosti radne snage u šumarstvu.
Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) is a rare and complex condition that often necessitates the collaboration of a full medical team from various disciplines to save the lives of babies with this genetic ...mutation, characterized by three clinical manifestations: glossoptosis, micrognathia, and cleft palate. Treatment primarily involves freeing upper airway obstructions and enhancing nutrition to allow the babies to lead a normal life. The lip-tongue adhesion procedure has been identified in medical literature as the recommended approach to addressing the issues associated with Pierre Robin sequence, and this method was successfully adopted in this case.
2.5 kg, a newborn male baby with an abnormal position of the tongue and the inability to breastfeed and feed normally, without any medical, family, or social history. Following an examination, it was discovered that the baby had a posterior position of the tongue, micrognathia, and a cleft palate, leading to a diagnosis of Pierre Robin Sequence (Figs. 1, 2). Preparations for the baby's surgery have commenced. The baby was solely fed intravenously and provided with an oxygen mask for 25 days until all necessary consultations were completed and the baby's readiness for surgery and general anesthesia was confirmed. The surgical plan involved attaching the tongue to the lower lip to enhance the tongue's muscular strength, addressing the posterior position issue, and delaying the palate repair until the age of 1.5 years.
PRS is a clinical entity characterized by the triad of mandibular hypoplasia (small jaw), glossoptosis (hypotonic, retracted tongue) and respiratory obstruction that require a multidisciplinary team for initial evaluation and management and maintenance care. TLA is a simple and effective procedure for increasing the cross-sectional area of oropharyngeal port.
Handling airway obstruction in Pierre Robin Sequence involves various factors, and there is no universal treatment that can address all cases. Appropriate airway management strategies and feeding programs are essential for each individual with PRS. Our review highlights that TLA is a straightforward surgical procedure with minimal or no short-term complications. TLA should be considered as the primary surgical intervention when relief is needed.
•Pierre Robin sequence is a rare congenital birth defect characterized by : glossoptosis, micrognathia, and cleft palate.•Treatment for PRS is unclear and it is also dependent on the severity of the condition.•In certain situations, medical staff intervention may be urgently required to prevent blockage of airway and assist in feeding the baby.
Odumiranjem stabala mijenjaju se stanišne prilike u šumskom ekosustavu, uslijed čega dolazi do promjene mikroklime i mikrobiološke aktivnosti tla. Cilj ovoga istraživanja je utvrditi razlike u ...mikroklimi staništa te u enzimatskoj aktivnosti šumskog tla u trima šumskim progalama i trima šumskim sastojinama obične jele s rebračom (Blechno-Abietetum Ht. 1950). Od mikroklimatskih elemenata mjerene su temperatura zraka, temperatura tla, relativna vlažnost zraka i volumetrijska vlažnost tla. Za određivanje kemijskih svojstava tla te dehidrogenazne i proteolitičke aktivnosti tala prikupljeni su kompozitni uzorci tla s dubine od 0 do 10 cm. U šumskim progalama utvrđene su značajno više vrijednosti temperatura zraka i tla te značajno niže vrijednosti relativne vlažnosti zraka i volumetrijske vlažnosti tla nego u šumskoj sastojini. Provedenim istraživanjem nisu utvrđene značajne razlike u kemijskim svojstvima tala između šumskih progala i sastojina. Zbog nesignifikantnih promjena kemijskih karakteristika tla, nisu utvrđene značajne promjene u enzimatskoj aktivnosti tala u progalama u odnosu na šumske sastojine. Temperatura zraka i temperatura tla povezane su s dehidrogenaznom aktivnosti tala, dok su temperatura tla i volumetrijska vlažnost tla povezane s proteolitičkom aktivnosti tala u šumskim progalama. Kemijska su svojstva tla također imale značajan utjecaj na enzimatsku aktivnost, jer se povećanjem udjela organske tvari, dušika, humusa i ugljika u tlu povećava i enzimatska aktivnost šumskih tala. Najveće korelacije enzimatske aktivnosti i kemijskih svojstava tla utvrđene su za proteolitičku aktivnost šumskih tala. Enzimatska aktivnost šumskih tala bila je najveća na početku vegetacijskog razdoblja u uvjetima optimalne temperature i vlažnosti tla.
With the decline of trees, habitat conditions change, resulting in changes in the microclimate and microbiological activity of the soil. The aim of the research is to determine the differences in the microclimate of habitats and in the enzymatic activity of forest soil in three forest gaps and three forest stands of silver fir with hard fern (Blechno-Abietetum Ht. 1950). Of the microclimatic elements, air temperature, soil temperature, relative air humidity and volumetric soil moisture were measured. Composite soil samples from a depth of 0 to 10 cm were collected to determine the chemical properties of the soil and the dehydrogenase and proteolytic activity of the soil. Significantly higher values of air and soil temperatures and significantly lower values of relative air humidity and volumetric soil moisture were found in forest gaps. The research did not reveal any differences in the chemical properties of the soil between forest gaps and stands. Due to insignificant changes in soil chemical characteristics, no significant changes in soil enzymatic activity were found in the gaps in relation to forest stands. Air temperature and soil temperature are related to soil dehydrogenase activity, while volumetric soil moisture is associated with proteolytic soil activity in forest gaps. Soil chemical characteristics also had a significant effect on enzymatic activity. By increasing the share of organic matter, nitrogen, humus and carbon in the soil, the enzymatic activity of forest soils also increases. The highest correlations between enzymatic activity and soil chemical characteristics were found for proteolytic activity of forest soils. The enzymatic activity of forest soils was highest at the beginning of the vegetation period under conditions of optimal soil temperature and soil moisture.
