The intensity of Arion lusitanicus occurrence and the damage degree of 31 crop species have been estimated. It has been found that the slug damaged lettuce and cabbage plants very heavily (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata L., Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L. f. alba) and many species of other vegetables (Cucumis sativus L., Phaseolus vulgaris L., Raphanus sativus L. subvar. radicula Pers.). Plant damages in the edge strips were also observed on rape and barley plantations attacked by this slug. The moving activity of particular individuals of Arion lusitanicus was varying. Planning of the experiments in a nested block design has made it possible to statistically determine tendencies of the slug movement. It was observed that when some individuals remained at the point where they were initially placed, others, 2 hours after, moved over 7 m away. The mean weighed length of pathway covered by a single individual and the mean movement rate of one were estimated for each of 9 observation dates. It has been found that slugs penetrating the site surface under observation displayed their tendencies to move towards more moist places and towards food sources.

The influence of ion implantation on the structure and properties of polymers is a very complex issue. Many physical and chemical processes taking place during ion bombardment must be taken into consideration. The complexity of the process may exert both positive and negative influence on the structure of the material. The goal of this paper is to investigate the influence of H+, He+ and Ar+ ion implantation on the properties of polypropylene membranes used in filtration processes and in consequence on fouling phenomena. It has appeared that the ion bombardment caused the chemical modification of membranes which has led to decrease of hydrophobicity. The increase of protein adsorption on membrane surface has also been observed.

For P.F. Strawson self is an embodied agent. The aim of my paper is to discuss those fragments of Strawson’s philosophical work which directly refer to the concept of self. I try to show that Strawson’s view on the nature of self and self-reference is distinct and different from L. Wittgenstein’s nihilism and from the modest nihilism advocated by G.E.M. Anscombe.

Extraction of the foetal electrocardiogram from single-channel maternal abdominal signals without disturbing its morphology is difficult. We propose to solve the problem by application of projective filtering of time-aligned ECG beats. The method performs synchronization of the beats and then employs the rules of principal component analysis to the desired ECG reconstruction. In the first stage, the method is applied to the composite abdominal signals, containing maternal ECG, foetal ECG, and various types of noise. The operation leads to maternal ECG enhancement and to suppression of the other components. In the next stage, the enhanced maternal ECG is subtracted from the composite signal, and this way the foetal ECG is extracted. Finally, the extracted signal is also enhanced by application of projective filtering. The influence of the developed method parameters on its operation is presented.

The paper focuses on different approaches to the safety assessment of concrete structures designed using nonlinear analysis. The method based on the concept of partial factors recommended by Eurocodes, and methods proposed by M. Holicky, and by the author of this paper are presented, discussed and illustrated on a numerical example. Global safety analysis by M. Holicky needs estimation of the resistance coefficient of variation from the mean and characteristic values of resistance, and requires two separate nonlinear analyses. The reliability index value and the sensitivity factor for resistance should be also identified. In the method proposed in this paper, the resistance coefficient of variation necessary to calculate the characteristic value of resistance may be adopted from test results and the resultant partial factor for materials properties, and may be calculated according to Eurocodes. Thus, only one nonlinear analysis from mean values of reinforcing steel and concrete is required.

Tan spot, caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr), is a worrisome destructive foliar disease of wheat-growing areas around the world. Streptomyces spp. have been investigated as biocontrol agents because they beneficially interact with host plants and produce important bioactive substances that can act in the suppression of diseases in plants. In the present study, antifungal activity and plant growth-promoting of Streptomyces spp. strains 6(4), R18(6), and their consortium, were evaluated through in vitro and greenhouse assays. The Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF MS) technique was used to analyze the crude extract of each strain. The results of the in vitro tests showed that the 6(4) metabolites caused several abnormalities in the conidial germination of Ptr. This strain also produced indole acetic acid (IAA) and siderophores. Strain R18(6) did not alter conidial germination of Ptr, and produced IAA and phosphate solubilizers. In the greenhouse, the treatment ‘seed inoculation plus foliar spray’ with streptomycetes propagules and metabolites contributed to biomass gain, with no statistical difference between the strains ( p < 0.05). Treatments with 6(4) ‘seed inoculation’, ‘seed inoculation plus foliar spray’, and consortium ‘seed inoculation’ showed the lowest percentage of injured area compared to other treatments ( p < 0.05). UHPLC-QTOF MS data showed that erucamide is present in the culture of 6(4), but not in the culture of R18(6). Therefore, this substance is one of those involved in Ptr hyphal abnormalities, and R18(6) use indirect mechanisms of action to control Ptr. We concluded that these Streptomyces spp. and their metabolites have a promising potential for biological control of Ptr to protect wheat plants from tan spot damage.

On the basis of the results of direct measurements, the conduction properties of the yearly behaviour of the halt flux conducted in the tundra soil (S) are determined. In general, the cooling period of the soil profile lasted from August to January, with highest intensity in October (S = —4.8 Wm-2). A rapid intensification of the heat exchange in the soil occurred in July (S = 7.4 Wm-2 ) . The 24-hour values of S were found to vary greatly (from 19 Wm-2 to 32 Wm-2). For chosen days, relationships were determined among the particular elements of the heat balance of the active layer.