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The aim of this study was to estimate the correlation between the function parameters of the respiratory system and the amount of physical activity, body mass index and aerobic and physical fitness in Daugavpils University students. The study involved a group of 191 students of both sexes from Daugavpils University aged 20–36 years. Students (n = 191, 123 females and 68 males, mean age 24.02 ± 0.24 years) underwent measurement of anthropometric values (height, weight), physical (PWC170 index) and aerobic fitness (predicted VO2max), spirometry (tidal volume, breathing frequency (BF), minute ventilation (MV), expiratory reserve volume (ERV) and vital capacity (VC) and filled in International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Both MV and VC were directly and statistically significantly associated with aerobic fitness, physical fitness and amount of physical activity. Vigorous PA independently was directly and statistically significantly associated with physical fitness and aerobic fitness. After adjusting for sex, BF was inversely and statistically significantly associated with physical activity amount in female. Both female and male had inverse and statistically significant association of BMI and relative VO2max. Reduced lung volumes were associated with lower aerobic fitness, lower physical fitness and lower amount of weekly physical activity. Healthier body mass index was associated with higher aerobic fitness (relative VO2max) in both female and male.

A term of health-related physical fitness became topical with four its components: aerobic and/or cardiovascular fitness, body composition, abdominal muscle strength and endurance, and lower back and hamstring flexibility. Complex evaluation of health-related physical fitness and physical activity (PA) may show a wider insight in health promotion and disease prevention. The aim of this study was to evaluate physical activity relation to health-related physical fitness in Physiotherapy (PT) and Physical Education (PE) students. Final study sample consisted of 67 students (46 women and 21 men) (aged 21.61 ± 0.71). All participants filled in International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Health-related physical testing included: 1) body composition evaluation, 2) abdominal muscles strength tests, 3) dynamometry, 4) hamstring muscles and m. quadratus lumborum elasticity evaluation tests, 5) bicycle ergometer test (anaerobic threshold, maximal oxygen consumption). Results showed that most students had normal body composition parameters (BMI, body fat, muscle mass, body water) in both genders and study programs. Women were less physically active that men, and PA duration was higher in PE students. PT students had higher body composition values, lower cardiorespiratory fitness parameters and lower handgrip strength in both hands than PE students. Greater PA generally implies a higher level of health-related physical fitness. PA significantly positively affects body composition, upper m. rectus abdominisstrength, grip strength and aerobic capacity.

Aerogels are characterized by excellent insulation properties and a good resistance to high and low temperatures. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of silica aerogel on thermal properties of textile–polymer composites. Aerogel was applied in protective clothing fabric to improve its heat resistance. The composites were produced by coating a fabric made of meta-aramid (polyamide–imide) yarns with a dispersion of polychloroprene latex and synthetic resins or an acrylic–styrene dispersion with aerogel (100–700 μm particle size). The composites were subjected to thermal radiation (20 kW/m2) and their thermal properties were determined by thermogravimetry/derivative thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). Scanning electron microscopy/X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) was used to characterize the microstructure and study the elemental composition of materials. The thermal conductivity and resistance of composites were measured with an Alambeta apparatus. The tests indicated an increase in resistance to thermal radiation by approximately 15–25%. In TG/DTG analysis, the initial temperature for an unmodified fabric was 423.3°C. After modification, it decreased to 361.8° and 365.3°C for composites with 7 and 14% of aerogel, respectively. SEM images revealed a reduction in aerogel particle size.

The southern African geophyte Lachenalia with an enormous number of species and cultivars is nowadays a commercially important plant material. There is a need for research on the optimization of growing conditions to obtain a satisfactory visual quality of potted plants, which may boost its production on the international ornamental market. Our research can be considered as an innovative study on supplemental irradiation with various light spectra in relation to flower quality of Lachenalia spp. The main objective was to examine the usefulness of LED lighting in extending the length of the natural day to a 16/8 h photoperiod in order to control the development of Lachenalia ‘Rupert’ inflorescence during greenhouse cultivation in Central-European winter time. Three light treatments were applied with red (660 nm) and blue (440 nm) light in different ratios: 100% red (100/0), 90% red mixed with 10% blue (90/10) and 80% red with 20% blue (80/20). The PPFD at the plant leaf level was approx. 150 µmol m−2 s−1. The most favourable spectrum, 90/10, induced the longest inflorescences characterized by the highest stem diameter with simultaneously the highest number of florets. Additionally, blue light increased the anthocyanin content in the corolla by about 35%, compared with plants exposed to 100% red light and non-irradiated ones (control plants). This first study on the wavelength ratios is aimed to increase the production quality of Lachenalia and indicates the need for continuation.

Purpose. To develop the conceptual basis of financial convergence of sustainable development of regions in the country and to substantiate its objective necessity. Methodology. The achievements of economic and financial science concerning the study of intergovernmental relations, fiscal equalization, and financial mechanism of state regulation of regional development served for the methodological base for the research. For the purpose of developing the conceptual foundations of financial convergence of sustainable development, a systematic approach is used in the article which takes into account the dynamic functional relationship between the state and the development of a balance and its components, and a set of techniques that ensure its implementation, namely: logic synthesis, analysis, comparison, deduction and induction. Findings. Based on the theoretical analysis of the economic substance of financial convergence, generalization and systematization of scientific approaches, the interpretation of the financial convergence position of the sustainable development of regions in the country has been improved. Objective reasons that determine the necessity of financial convergence of sustainable development of regions of Ukraine have been determined. Originality. Conceptual foundations of financial convergence of sustainable development of regions in the country have been improved, which, unlike the existing, foresee its consideration as the regulative and stimulatory process of the convergence levels of financial providing of the social, economic and ecological development of the regions of the country, that will ensure integrity and financial equality of living conditions in all its regions. Practical value. Formation of the conceptual foundations of financial convergence of sustainable development of regions in the country is the initial condition by establishing methods of its diagnosis and the mechanisms and tools of its providing according to which the equal access to public goods and services is achieved, the elimination of budgetary distortions stability of local budgets, adjustments scarcity of financial resources in the region, increase the investment attractiveness of the region, improving access to domestic financial resources and more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photobleaching is an effect terminating the photon output of fluorophores, limiting the duration of fluorescence-based experiments. Plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) can increase the overall fluorophore photostability through an enhancement of the radiative rate. In this work, we use the DNA origami technique to arrange a single fluorophore in the 12-nm gap of a silver NP dimer and study the number of emitted photons at the single molecule level. Our findings yielded a 30× enhancement in the average number of photons emitted before photobleaching. Numerical simulations are employed to rationalize our results. They reveal the effect of silver oxidation on decreasing the radiative rate enhancement.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of naltrexone treatment for 21 consecutive days on short-term memory in ethanol-preferring and non-preferring outbred rats. Methods: Ethanol preferring, non-preferring and control Wistar rats were treated with naltrexone [0.1 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.)] for 21 consecutive days. Short-term memory was assessed by using an olfactory social recognition test. Results: A single administration of naltrexone (0.1 mg/kg i.p.) to non-ethanol-treated animals facilitated social memory, whereas the drug did not affect short-term memory in either group of chronically ethanol-treated rats. Multiple naltrexone treatment also lowered alcohol intake in ethanol-preferring rats. Conclusion: Naltrexone-ethanol interaction does not seem to produce any negative effect on the short-term memory in outbred rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the heads of four red cabbage cultivars and two DH lines (one of red and one of white type), as well as in the standard white cabbage ‘Lennox F1’ cultivar, the contents of phenolic substances (total, phenylpropanoids, flavonols and anthocyanins) were estimated. Antiradical scavenging activity was determined using the DPPH and ABTS methods. The level of phenolics of all the groups, especially that of the anthocyanins, as well as RSA, was much higher in red cabbage in comparison to white. Among red cabbage assays, also a considerable variability of antioxidative parameters was observed. Four-month commercial storage resulted in a significant reduction in phenol compounds in red cabbage, but this was not the case in the white cultivar.

The paper aims at answering questions on implications of the economic valuation of regulatory ecosystem service in maritime spatial planning. The biogeochemical processes that occur in marine sediments such as denitrification, contribute indirectly, though significantly, benefits to human wellbeing. Such direct and indirect benefits are called ecosystem services. According to the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES V5.1) for the Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting, the case study: ecosystem service lies within the: Section - Regulation & Maintenance (Biotic); Division - Transformation of biochemical or physical inputs to ecosystems; Group - Mediation of wastes or toxic substances of anthropogenic origin by living processes and Class - Bio-remediation by micro-organisms, algae, plants, and animals (Code 2.1.1.1). Marine sediments are economically evaluated mainly as sources of providing services (sand and gravel extraction or space for potential industrial use). Their regulatory function is often neglected in such studies. Therefore, we employed the methodology from the field of ecological economics and assessed the economic value of denitrification of the Gulf of Gdansk. This paper suggests the possible implications of using such data in MSP and discusses the competition sea uses in order to determine the final benefits for society.

The new potential proposed in [1] is used to modify Concrete Damaged Plasticity [2] model. The formulas for plastic multiplier and elastoplastic stiffness tensor are derived and simple numerical test are performed to confirm validity of the change. Predictions of the modified model and the original model are compared. The comparison shows similar character of the resultant curves, although for some cases a distinct quantitative difference between the models is revealed.

A general form of Drucker-Prager type plastic potential suitable for concrete and soil is proposed, allowing to distinguish qualitative difference between stress states with prevailing tension from those with dominant compression. The potential includes six material constants and one arbitrarily chosen function g describing deviatoric section of the potential surface. The influence of the parameters on the shape of the considered yield surface is discussed. The verification of convexity of the proposed potential is carried out in order to impose conditions on the parameters and the unknown function g. The calibration based on results of typical tests for concrete presented in the literature is proposed and the values of the coefficients are given out in relation to the yield limit in uniaxial compression test for common proportions of yield limits for other basic tests.

Two years experiment was carried out to compare the nutritional composition in bulbs of ten onion cultivars grown in the field conditions. Pyruvic acid, ascorbic acid and soluble sugars were determined in the edible part of onion bulbs. In most cultivars the content of pyruvate as the pungency index was ranged between 3-7 μmol g-1 fresh weight (medium pungency), however, three of them exceeded 7 μmol g-1 fresh weight (high pungency). A higher level of pyruvate corresponded in most cases with higher sugar content but was not correlated with that of ascorbic acid.

In order to extend the Concrete Damaged Plasticity model [1], a modification of flow rule is considered. A new plastic potential is proposed. It takes into account the difference in behavior of concrete under compressive and tensile loading. In the present paper the proposed function is examined and compared to the original potential. Influence of parameters of the potential choice on the shape of its surface is analysed. Formulation and preliminary validation of the modified model is shown in the subsequent paper (Part II).

A refined model for elastoplastic damaged material is formulated based on the plastic potential introduced in Part I [1]. Considered model is an extension of Concrete Damaged Plasticity material implemented in Abaqus [2]. In the paper the stiffness tensor for elastoplastic damaged behaviour is derived. In order to validate the model, computations for the uniaxial tests are performed. Response of the model for various cases of parameter’s choice is shown and compared to the response of the CDP model.