There is growing interest in products without added sugar; thus, sugar consumption is directly related to diabetes and other illnesses such as obesity. A change in the type of sugar and content may therefore both change the perception of sweetness and texture of products. The aim of the research work was to evaluate properties of agar-agar jellies prepared with inulin syrup, galactose syrup and malt extract to replace sugar. Agar gels were prepared to substitute sugar with inulin syrup, galactose syrup and malt extract. Texture of experimental samples was determined by using a Texture Analyser (Model TA.XT Plus; Stable Micro Systems). Colour of jellies was evaluated by using Colour Tec-PCM and Jenway 3510 was used for pH measurements. Obtained results showed that different kinds of sugar containing syrups could be used as sugar substitute for production of a new type jellies. Hardness of the experimental samples is influenced by the sugar type containing syrup. The hardness is determined in the experimental samples by replacement of sugar by increasing concentration of inulin syrup. Decreasing hardness values are observed by increase of added malt extract (maltose) and galactose syrup concentration in samples. The pH values of experimental samples ranged between 3.11 and 4.45. Higher L* value of experimental samples are with galactose syrup. Lightness “L” changed between 20.92 and 18.11 increasing inulin syrup concentration. The same situation can be observed using malt extract as sugar substitute.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the histological status of lymph nodes lnn. inguinales superficiales sinister et dexter, lnn. mesenterici cranial, and lnn. tracheobronchales for porcine circovirus-2 (PCV2) seropositive and seronegative pigs from two Latvian farms. The research was carried out in 2009. Two Latvian farms were investigated – conditional farm A in Latgale, and farm B in Kurzeme. Pigs from farm A had never been vaccinated against PCV2, but on farm B the PCV2 vaccination programme had been stopped six months ago. Ten pigs, 5-15 weeks old, were selected from each farm for investigation. Generally, four lymph nodes were taken from each animal. The blood serum of all 20 pigs was serologically tested for the PCV2 antibody of ELISA Synbiotics, Serelisa PCV2 Ab Mono Blocking kits. Four structural parameters of a lymph node were detected on histological slides: visualization of follicle structure, lymphocyte depletion, amount of histiocytic cell infiltration, and amount of multinucleate giant cell infiltration and localization in the lymph node. Only in lymph nodes of PCV2 seropositive pigs multinucleate giant cells were detected, which is an important additional parameter for serological test and is suggestive of PCV2 infection. As a result, an interrelation between the amount of histiocytic cells and the follicle structure was detected in pigs' lymph nodes: the more histiocytic cells in the lymph node, the greater the loss of the lymphoid follicle structure.

Intrusion Detection Systems is defined as a component that analyses system and user operations in computer and network system to protect it from possible intrusions. Current intrusion detection technologies have several shortcomings. Applying mobile agents to intrusion detection design is step forward on better intrusion detection. Mobile-agent based distributed intrusion detection systems are very promising for the following reasons: reduction of data movement, load-balance, flexibility, fault-tolerance, detection of distributed attacks. Hybrid intrusion detection is defined by both the method used to detect attacks and the placement of the system on the network. Intrusion detection system may perform either misuse detection or anomaly detection and may be deployed as network-based or host-based system. This paper proposes to distribute classical intrusion detection model with mobile agents making an agent-based hybrid intrusion detection system. The proposed model can help detect simple intrusions in early stage and also distributed intrusions by monitoring several subjects installed on network. Main benefit from mobile agents in such system is ability to generate separate services for specific tasks and analyze unknown user patterns with several methods of artificial intelligence.

Metabolic analysis is one of the research focuses of systems biology. Two aspects of metabolic networks -network topology and stoichiometry - are what current researchers are most interested in, and both studies have revealed significant information. The research of the stoichiometric matrix of metabolic network has generated a series of powerful methodologies such as flux balance analysis (FBA). For FBA different methods execution are used different software like COBRA Toolbox and FBA-SimVis. The aim of this paper is to compare and analyze functionality of these two toolboxes, metabolic network data conformation conditions, and to compare all available FBA methods comparison in calculation possibilities and visual interpretation way. FBA, when analyzing all fluxes using different options, gives results in its metabolic network flow chart, although Cobra Toolbox returns the results in the matrix in number formats. FBA-SimVis for Steady state metabolic network models analysis is provided for a small metabolic network, because making some FBA analysis there are a ten possibilities to change an unlimited count of variables, to choose or change or optimize reactions as variables. Cobra Toolbox for Steady state metabolic network models analysis is provided for greater metabolic networks with hundreds or thousands of reactions. It allows changing an unlimited count manipulating and optimizing reactions fluxes.

In the summer 2010, a study of the below-ground biomass of young (12 - and 14-year-old) Scots pine Pinus sylvestis L. stands was carried out in central Latvia. The fine-root (diameter is less than 2 mm) biomass, tips, length and volume were determined for the mineral soil layer (0 – 60 cm) by core sampling. The main objective was to determine the average fine-root biomass and morphological characteristics in different classes of young stands of Scots pines. The mean fine-root biomass was calculated for the whole stand by using below-ground biomass measurements of different components of sample trees and measurement of the tree stand. The amount of dry fine-root biomass in the soil layer was 5.3 ± 1.6 t haE-1 in the 14-year-old stand and 3.6 ± 1.5 t haE-1 in the 12-year-old stand. The study showed that the largest portion (52%) of the total fine-root biomass of 12 - and 14-year-old Scots pine stands was located at a depth of 0–10 cm, decreasing in deeper mineral soil layers. The average morphological characteristics of fine roots were higher in the older stand. Analysis of the morphology of fine roots showed that at soil depth of 0 – 10 cm the mean root length was 233 ± 44 cm, volume – 1.3 ± 0.6 cm3, value of tips – 537 ± 104 and diameter – 0.7 ± 0.1 mm per 100 cmE-3.

Severe damages of spruce stands were found during recent years in several countries of the Baltic sea region. Characteristic indications of these damages are trees with brownish drying tops distributed across the whole compartment. During the first year only forests on drained organic soils suffer. In the second and third years, according to experiences gained in Lithuania, the damages move to other stand types. In Latvia, the first signals about the damages of spruce stands arrived from the company ''Rīgas meži'' in May, 2010. ''Rīgas meži'' found damaged stands in 2 forestries. The most of the damaged stands were on organic soils. The inspection of other forests by the State forest service identified similar damages in Southern part of Latvia as well as in other regions with considerable areas of organic soils. In August, 2010 ''Rīgas meži'' did their own inspection in Olaine and Tīreļi forestries and found out that 24% of spruce stands has characteristic signs of damages, and in 10% of stands dead or significantly damaged trees were found. Due to theses damages, about 300 ha of spruce stands were harvested in sanitary clear-felling in 2010. Spreading of spruce bud scale, Physokermes piceae (Schrnk.), is found to correlate with damages of spruce stands in Latvia and Lithuania. This pest is well known in both countries, but never before it caused any serious damages to spruce stands. In Sweden another bud scale insect (Physokermes inopinatus Danzig and Kozár) is found to be the reason for spruce damages.

Environmental pollution that has been one of the key issues for decades has still not lost any of its topicality. In order to study the impact of air pollution on the growth of Norway’s spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), 31 sample plots were established at different distances and directions from the pollution points in the Western part of Latvia. The plots were established starting from the year 2008 summer-autumn season and finishing with the spring of 2009. The selected stands were 32 - 171 year old and of different forest site types. The selection was used in the State Forest Service database and cartographic materials. Empirical data was obtained from each of the plots which reflected the environmental effects on the trees. To ascertain the effect of air pollution on the growth of Norway spruce, the algorithm based on additional increment to volume was used. Air pollution affects eating, regardless of age and the type of growing conditions. Pollution effects are closely related to the distance from the source.

Economic importance of Silver birch in Latvia has been increasing in last decade, triggering scientific research, dedicated to improvement of this species, including tree breeding. Bulk of progeny trials will reach the evaluation time in next few years; therefore, decisions for further tree breeding activities have to be made. The aim of our study is to evaluate profitability of silver birch breeding, based on current situation in the year 2010 and circumstances in Latvia and assess the factors that might notably influence the result. Analysis considers all available breeding material and links between tree breeding, seed orchards and end product – forest stand, regenerated with improved plants in order to evaluate profitability of different alternatives based on differential approach. Results reveal that differential benefits from forest regeneration with selected birch material in comparison to natural regeneration, in areas with highest site indexes (Ia-II) with 3% interest rate and at least part of the stands managed in order to maximize yield of large diameter trees at age of final felling, are positive. The highest profitability can be reached if selection of best individuals is done based on clonal testing, genetic gain is maximized and combined with proper silvicultural praxis and annual planting area (utilization of seeds from selected trees) are maximized.

At different points in the history there have been attempts to evaluate the volume and value of separate game-related goods and services in Latvia; however, so far there have been no comprehensive studies covering the role of the game management and its impact on Latvia’s economy. Such data would be necessary not only to evaluate the impact of the game management on Latvia’s economy, but also to set appropriate priorities in cases where game animals cause damage to other sectors of economy. In order to evaluate the role of the game management in the national economy, lists of the game-related goods and services have been drafted, sources of information have been identified to determine the volume and monetary value of the goods and services in the 2009/2010 hunting season, as well as a methodology has been developed to acquire the missing information. It has been determined that the total monetary value of the game-related products was 3.66 million LVL, while the game-related services accounted for 18.86 million LVL. The total contribution of the game management to Latvia’s economy in the 2009/2010 hunting season has been estimated at 22.52 million LVL. Among the game-related products the most significant product is the game meat total amount (sales and own consumption) of which has been estimated at 2.8 thousand tons, while total value accounted for 3.6 million LVL. Among the game-related services the most significant contributors are the following: sales of hunting equipment (6.7 million LVL) and game-related transportation costs (4.7 million LVL).

The forests in Latvia occupy 49.9% of territory and they have significant economic, ecologic and social functions. The notion ‘forest value’ is frequently understood as the value of wood only but non-wood values are often neglected because there are methodological and practical difficulties to estimate them in monetary terms. The list of forest plant non-wood product (FPNWP) groups potentially important for Latvia was made and the significance of them in Latvia’s national economy was estimated. To obtain the information about FPNWP in Latvia (kinds, amounts, value, own-consumption) the public opinion poll was carried out. 77% of the residents of Latvia aged 18 - 74 have gathered the nature products in Latvia in 2010. The most significant FPNWP are mushrooms, wild berries of family Ericaceae - Vaccinium myrtillus L., Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., Oxycoccus palustris Pers. and birch sap. The contribution of FPNWP in the Latvia’s national economy in 2010 was 66.8 million LVL, including 8.9 million LVL for the products sold in the market or exchanged among households.