Konstantinos V. Kakavas

University of Thessaly | UTH · Environmental sciences

In the present study the involvement of human activities is assessed in the revalorization of groundwater quality. The groundwater quality was assessed on the basis of physical and chemical analysis (electric conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, NO3−, NO2−, SO4−2, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, residual sodium absorption (RSC) and so...

This paper deals with the investigation of chemical properties (electrical conductivity, pH, buffer capacity, minerals) of the species Castanea sativa Mill. The quantitative determination of the extracts soluble in hot water and dichloromethane was conducted using a Soxhlet device and according to the American Standards ASTM D 1110-84 and ASTM D 11...

This study investigated the influence of climatic factors on the deterioration of chestnut wood after various manipulations with surface coatings after exposure to ambient conditions for two years. The exposure of chestnut wood surfaces to atmospheric precipitation namely snow, rain and humidity, whether coated or uncoated with hydrophobic substanc...

PCR Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism is a method used to identify and detect mutations and is now well known for its many applications on living beings. This paper will discuss the experimental details, limitations and sensitivity of the PCR Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism method in relation to all existing literature available to us...

The management of forest ecosystems is inextricably related to the evolution of climate change due to the strong interaction between them. According to this assumption, sweet chestnut forest management strategies as well as carbon estimation are analyzed in terms of adaptation to climate change and reducing the adverse effects of climate change. Al...

The main object of this work is the identification of possible microbial infections in tomato cultivation in geothermal greenhouses. The hydroponical system, is a “close type” (for fertilization and irrigation water reuse), while at the same time exploiting rainwater collected from the gutters of greenhouses. The purpose of this experimental work i...

The aim of this study was to determine all the extractives from different samples were collected from heartwood, sapwood, bark and needles and branches of Pinus brutia. A Soxlet device with two solvents (water and ethanol) were used to collect the extracts. Analytical chemical analyses were conducted with Gas C1hromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Agil...

This study aimed to determine all the extractives from Pinus nigra . Different samples were collected from heartwood, sapwood and bark. A Soxlet device and three different solvents (water, ethanol, dichloromethane) were used to collect the extracts. Chemical analyses were conducted with GC-MS (Agilent 5975C). The results revealed significant amount...

The purpose of this study is to investigate the chemical composition of Greek Naxos emery, and reuse of Naxos emery in the light of new environmental applications discovered. Its chemical composition will help us to propose alternative ways of exploiting and using it. Emery was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive...

The rate of moisture adsorption and the rate of swelling are two important indicators of wood's tendency to change its dimensions either easily or with difficulty, a tendency with a particular importance for wood constructions in extreme weather conditions. In the present research, the alteration over time of the tangential dimensions of chestnut w...

This research aims to develop a pine-wood identification methodology concerning Pinus halepensis (Aleppo pine) and Pinus brutia (Turkish pine), based on microscopic observations and anatomical features that could be used to identify and distinguish the above two species (in particular the dimensions of the rays). We concluded that the maximum ray h...

The rate of moisture adsorption and the rate of swelling are two important indicators of wood’s tendency to change its dimensions either easily or with difficulty, a tendency with a particular importance for wood constructions. In the present research, the alteration of the tangential dimensions as time passes, due to the moisture adsorption, befor...

Objectives: To evaluate maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) levels at 11–14 weeks of gestation in women with common congenital anatomic uterine abnormalities (AUAs). Methods: First trimester screening markers were compared between 12 AUA pregnancies and 60 age matched controls. Results: PAPP-A level and birth weight were s...

Acetic fermentation is a vital function for microorganisms. Since antiquity, vinegar has been used both to dressing food, but also to characterize the irritable people. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality characteristics of Greek oak (Quercus Macedonica - QM) and Greek chestnut wood (Castanea sativa Mill.-CsM) in comparison with an...

The study of various woods shrinkage is of particular practical importance because the wood's property to shrink and swell with the adsorption or absorption of moisture from the atmosphere is a main cause of many defects that occur in wood and furniture during weather conditions changing. In the present study, measurements of the shrinkage of chest...

This study investigated the influence of climatic factors on the deterioration of chestnut wood after various manipulations with surface coatings after exposure to ambient conditions for two years. The exposure of chestnut wood surfaces to atmospheric precipitation namely snow, rain and humidity, whether coated or uncoated with hydrophobic substanc...

This work includes observations on chestnut logs at woodcutting areas, measurements of some growth characteristics and observations under microscope of chestnut wood cross sections with ring shakes. Some types of ring shakes were developed in logs with abnormalities, such as forking, double-pith, burls, pith eccentricity and elongated cross section...

Wood sealing with Greek emery dust

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of using emery dust for an alternative industrial use. In the past emery was used as a raw material in brick manufacturing. It’s the first attempt to use emery dust as a wood protecting material from humidity and water. In the project, emery dust was used for pre-treating of Abies alba wo...

ABSTRACT Measurements of several mechanical and physical properties were carried out to detect possible variations between ring shaken and non-ring shaken logs or between different areas of wood from the same log (i.e., ring shaken log). Mature wood from the ring shake area had lower axial compression and hardness strength compared to mature wood a...

Nowadays there is intense research interest to the polyphenol content of olive leaves which attributed significant antioxidant properties that may be related to diseases intake. The aim of this study was to assess the possible antioxidant action and antimutagenic effects of extracts from olive leaves. Encapsulation technology was also used, which a...

Ozonated and chlorinated water used as potential antimicrobials agents in food industry. Since 2001, when US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the permission of Ozon’s usage as a suitable antimicrobial agent for food, many investigations have been applied (Singh et al. 2002, Trinetta et al. 2011). The objectives of this experimental wor...

n this project we describe a reversed-phased HPLC method that allows the simultaneous determination of the preservatives benzoic (BA), sorbic (SA) and ascorbic acids (AA) in wine and foodstuffs. The separations were effected by using a C18 varian column and a mobile phase of ammonium acetate buffer (pH 4.4) – methanol (65:35) to elute BA, SA and AA...

The objective of this study was to examine bending and tensile strength of beech wood (Fagus sylvatica) joints (basic mortise and tenon) along with the effect of wood impregnation with rapeseed oil and type of glue (PVA or PU). The wood specimens were impregnated with the empty-cell treatment (Lowry process). Retention of rape oil was about 273 kg/...

Absrtact European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is one of the most important Greek forest species, as it produces a great amount commercial wood valuable for exterior use. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of using natural oil (rape oil) to improve beech wood properties (dimensional stability and duration). Specifically, the ob...

The objective of this study was to examine oil-retention, adsorption, swelling and tensile strength of lap joints of wood treated with hot rape oil. Wood specimens of two species (Fagus sylvatika and Pinus nigra) were impregnated in a steel vessel using the empty cell process (Lowry method). Several impregnated specimens were additionally surface t...

Benzoic, sorbic and ascorbic acid are the most commonly used preservatives in wine and foodstuffs. They are usually analyzed by reverse phase - HPLC. However specific procedures for analysis of wines and beverages (with or without alcohol) were optimized. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a C18 varian column and ammonium acetate buffer...

Due to two interdisciplinary continuing research projects on waterlogged archaeological wood assessment, from the foundation piles of the second construction phase of the sea fortifications of Thessaloniki, probably dating to the 16th century A.D. and the piles from the Neolithic lakeside, pile-dwelling settlement at Dispilio, Kastoria, from ca. 5....

In this study, the distribution patterns of physical (sand%, loam%, clay%, pH and organic matter‰) and chemical (calcium carbonate (CaCO 3), sodium (Na +), mag-nesium (Mg +2), phosphorus (P), boron (B), iron (Fe), man-ganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn)) parameters of soil commonly assayed in analytical chemistry laboratories, are reported. Three representat...

Aim The aim of the present study was to examine in detail the behavior, the knowledge and the emotions of the students of the Technological Educational Institute of Larissa towards the institution of blood donation. Furthermore, to detect the cause that possibly differentiates their position, as well as the factors affecting them. Population of stu...

In this study, the distribution patterns of physical (sand%, loam%, clay%, pH and organic matter‰) and chemical (calcium carbonate (CaCO3), sodium (Na+), magnesium (Mg+2), phosphorus (P), boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn)) parameters of soil commonly assayed in analytical chemistry laboratories, are reported. Three representative a...

Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) is a reproducible, rapid and quite simple method for the detection of deletions/insertions/rearrangements in polymerase chain reaction amplified DNA. All the details for the use of PCR–SSCP are presented in the direction of genetic diseases (β-thalassaemia, cystic fibrosis), optimum gel conditions, sen...

The determination of the chemical composition of rainfall related to the origin of the air masses, in two urban sites in Greece during the year 2006, is investigated in this study. Two model automatic rain samplers were installed, the first in the city of Larissa, Thessaly, central Greece and the second in Heraklio, Attica, a northern suburb of Ath...

The determination of the chemical composition of rain-fall related to the origin of the air masses, in two urban sites in Greece during the year 2006, is investigated in this study. Two model automatic rain samplers were installed, the first in the city of Larissa, Thessaly, central Greece and the sec-ond in Heraklio, Attica, a northern suburb of A...

Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) is a reproducible, rapid and quite simple method for the detection of deletions/insertions/rearrangements in polymerase chain reaction amplified DNA. All the details for the use of PCR-SSCP are presented in the direction of genetic diseases (beta-thalassaemia, cystic fibrosis), optimum gel conditions,...

Multiple Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) is a new quantitative method to establish the copy number of up to 45 nucleic acid sequences in one single reaction. It has a perfect application to detect deletions or duplications of one or more exons of a gene. Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) is caused in more than 70% of the ca...

In the present study three representative areas, lowland (LL), mountainous (M) and coastal (C), have been selected for the collection of water samples, in the Prefectures of Larissa, Trikala, Karditsa and Magnesia, Thessaly, central Greece. Three physical: (electric conductivity (EC, 250C, μS/cm), pH, total hardness (TH, mg/L CaCO3)), fourteen chem...

The determination of the chemival composition of rain related to the origin of the air masses, in two cities of Greece during the year 2006, is investigated in this study. Two model automatic rain samples were installed in the city of Larisa and in the city Heraklio Attica a northern suberb of Athens. The concentrations (ppm) of the main cations an...

Monitoring the quality of soil is necessary and contributes in new policies for the protection of the environment and public health with the reformation of cultivations and the removal of pollution sources. The use of multivariate statistical approaches may help in finding groups of similarity between the test values or between the site groups for...

In the present study we investigated the maturation and quality characteristics of Greek grapes and wines of central Greece for the period of the last five years (2000 till 2005). Using 1193 grape and wine samples from Larisa (Tirnavos and Rapsani - Thessaly) prefecture. The parameters pH, total acidity(gr/lt), Vol(%) and Be’ were analyzed and elab...

In the present study we investigated whether single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) could be used for the identification of the CFTR DeltaF508 gene mutation, which is commonest in the Greek population. Using DNA from patients carrying this mutation, the appropriate 98 bp region of the CFTR gen...

In the present study investigated the soil types in central Greece, thus we analyzed 1827 soil samples from central Greece, for the period of time 1994 to 2003. Using soil from eighteen deferent spots (1827 samples, from Larisa, Karditsa, Magnisia and Fthiotida prefecture), we found the physical and chemical properties of these samples. We made the...

In this study, physicochemical data are presented, concerning groundwater and soil in prefecture of Larissa from 2000 to 2004. Results show increasing concentrations of nitrate ions in groundwater and poor in organic matter soils in the studied areas. Boron toxicity is mentioned as “dangerous” in some cases too. Moreover, the risk of salinisation i...

Monitoring and control the quality of drinking water constitute the key factor for the protection of public health. The 60/2000/EU (WFD) and 98/83/EEU directives imposed rules and instructions for continuous monitoring and control the quality of drinking water. In the present study three representative areas, lowland (LL), mountainous (M) and coast...

The vitreous body is a transparent gel consisting almost entirely of extracellular matrix. In the present study, the amounts and the fine structural characteristics of uronic acid-containing macromolecules with particular reference to chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs) present in pig, sheep and goat vitreous gels of the same age were determ...

In the present study we investigated whether the single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) method could be employed to identify (rather than simply detect) the four most common beta-globin gene mutations in the Greek population: IVS-I-110, Cd39, IVS-I-1, and IVS-I-6. Using DNA from 50 beta-thalassemic patients and carriers, we amplified by P...

Abstract: In this study, the distribution of physical parameters (electric conductivity, pH and total hardness) and major ions (nitrate, nitrite and chloride) of groundwater in the region of Thessaly, Central Greece, is reported. Samples were collected from three representative areas (lowlandurban, semi-mountainous and coastal one) for the period 1...

The 60/2000/EU (WFD) and 98/83/EEU directives imposed rules and instructions for continuous monitoring and control the quality of drinking water. In the present study three representative areas, lowland (LL), mountainous (M) and coastal (C), have been selected for the collection of water samples, in the Prefectures of Larissa, Karditsa and Magnissi...

In the present study we investigated whether single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) as well as polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), could be used for the identification of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) ΔF508 gene mutation, which is the commonest in the Greek population. Using DNA from patients known to carry thi...

The muscular dystrophies are a group of genetic and hereditary myopathies that are characterized by progressive skeletal or voluntary muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue and caused by defects in structural muscle proteins. The muscles of the heart and some other involuntary muscles are also affected in some forms of muscular dystrophy, and a...

The pollution of groundwater with toxic elements is largely due to human activities and is one of the major problems concerning modern societies which should be resolved. Our research presents the level of toxic elements in the groundwater of Larisa prefecture (Greece) during 2000-2004.

Οι τιμές των ηλεκτρολυτών νατρίου και Καλίου παίζουν καθοριστικό ρόλο στη λήψη αποφάσεων από τον κλινικό ιατρό. Σε πολλά βιχημικά ερηαστήρια, ο υπολογισμός των ανωτέρω ηλεκτρολυτων πραγματοποιείται με περισσότερους από έναν αναλυτές. Το κύριο πρόβλημα των εργαστηρίων αυτών είναι η συγκρισιμότητα και η ανταλλαξιμότητα των αποτελεσμάτων που προκύπτου...

In the present study we investigated whether the method of SSCP (single strand conformational polymorphism) could be employed for the identification, and not simply the detection, of the four commonest β-globin gene mutations in the greek population (IVS-I-110, Cd39, IVS-I-1 and IVS-I-6). Using DNA from 40 β-thalassaemic patients, we amplified by P...